Love and in War
by JanuaryEclipses
Summary: SasuSaku. The first time I met Prince Sasuke was the night he saved my life. I never thought I would see him again, and I certainly never expected to fall in love with him.
1. Once Upon a Time

**Author's Notes: **Hello again everyone! I am so thrilled to be able to give you this brand new story. The plot has been rolling around in my mind for almost a year, so I'm really excited to see it come to fruition. Admittedly, I was a _teensy_ bit inspired by the Royal Wedding in Britain, though you won't really see any similarities in this story except for the fact that Sasuke is just a figurehead as a Prince. Trust me, though, this will not be one of your typical Prince Sasuke stories, I assure you! Now, without any further ado, I present _Love and in War_.

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Title: Love and in War

Rating: T (or PG-13)

Summary: [SasuSaku] The first time I met Prince Sasuke was the night he saved my life. I never thought I would see him again, and I certainly never expected to fall in love with him.

Pairings: SasuSaku

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 1: Once Upon A Time

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The news that the Prince of Konohagakure was coming had been the most exciting announcement since the end of the war. The gossip spread like wildfire and no one was immune. The first I'd heard of it had been due to the televisions at the bar I worked at, which were always tuned to either news or sports. Since the start of the war, the news had been popular. Now that the war was over, I was slowly getting back my knowledge of which football teams were going into the semi-finals.

I'd first seen him on that screen. He had been walking along the army base with his Captain, who was a lanky man with silver hair. The Prince was in full military uniform looking as polite as he could having a camera follow his movements, but I could detect a subtle agitation in his eyes. Seeing him for the first time, I nearly spilled a pitcher of beer all over a table of college frat boys. I hadn't grown up with a television, so the most I'd heard about the Konoha Royal Family had been word of mouth. They said he was handsome, I just didn't expect obsidian pools to be able to pull me in across a _television set_ of all things. I could only imagine what meeting him in person would be like. The thought alone makes me shudder.

Of course, living in an all-girls dorm makes me all too aware of when he is visiting. I have seen girls get their hair cut, their nails done, and their legs waxed just in case they happen to meet the Prince. There was no solace in my own room since my roommate was practically obsessed with him. In fact, he was coming so that he could be given medals for his bravery in the war, and Tayuya was already planning to be outside the ceremony hall if she somehow couldn't sneak in. I have even seen her skip classes while she goes shopping for new clothes. I want to tell her she's being silly, that there will be tons of security around him since he's in a foreign country, but she will probably say something nasty and I would like to avoid that particular conflict.

Prince Sasuke had already arrived in the country, so she was constantly online trying to see where he was staying. I rolled my eyes at her when she wasn't looking. Personally, I thought the whole obsession was a little stupid. He is just a human, no matter what title he has. He may be royalty, but that doesn't really mean that his life is worth more than anyone else's. I'll give him my respect—I figure he's earned it since he's actually fighting in wars as opposed to being pampered all the time—but I won't treat him like some god.

Of course, that was before I'd seen him the first time. I'll admit that I didn't expect to feel the magnetic pull of attraction—I thought I was above all those other girls—but I could see why they were so obsessed. _Still_, my mind reasoned, _he's just a person. No matter how attractive he is._

Behind the bar's usual weekday chatter, I listened to the local football team lose while hefting a pint of beer and chilled glasses on a tray. _Hidden Sound_ was the only place I could get a job. I figured this was because my exotic colorings would likely bring more customers, which it did and my supervisor had been thrilled. Truthfully, I would rather work anywhere but here, since the fact that people thought I was foreign got me hit on twice as much. I was sick and tired of restraining myself from smashing dinner plates over customers who got a little too hands on. Though admittedly, this was one of the cleanest bars in Oto that I could work at. If possible, the rest of them seemed even seedier.

The first thing that I was going to do when I had money was to leave the Land of Rice Fields for good. I really wanted to go to Konoha, but anywhere else would be fine. The air in Oto was stale and smelled like prison. But I would be stuck here for a while. After I got my undergrad degree in Biology, it was off to Otogakure University's med school. OU wasn't my first choice, but it was the only one that I could afford with my own wages and the money I'd inherited when my parents died.

I forced out a smile as I took orders from the next table, my fingers twitching when a hand purposely brushed mine when the customer handed me his menu. _This job doesn't pay enough_, I thought.

I clocked out of _Hidden Sound_ at nine, stretching a little when I felt the bonds of work release me. I walked out of the side entrance and breathed in a little of the fresh air, wincing as I smelled the taint of the city along with it. Nothing could ever compare to the crisp air of the country, but since I wasn't returning to my hometown I'd better get used to it.

I walked out of the small alley and onto a street that would lead to the main road, tugging the white fitted shirt of my uniform to cover more of my body as I did so. This street was quiet, much quieter than it ever is on the weekends. Downtown Oto was miserable on the weekends, as college kids and businessmen all took the time to drink and party. It was actually safer walking around on those nights, because the police were always around looking for disorderly conduct. On a Wednesday night though, the streets were quiet as most of the businesses closed for the night. I had to walk with my head high and ignore the human shadows lurking in the corners, steeling myself to look like I wouldn't be afraid to fight back if need be. No one would be around to hear me scream. Of course, the citizens of Oto tended to turn a deaf ear onto cries of help.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed by arm and forced my back against the side of a brick building. My teeth rattled and I forced my head forward so that it couldn't bounce off the wall and possibly give me a concussion. The pressure on my arm eased a little and I finally snapped open my eyes to look at my attacker. Or rather _attackers_, as I found out. There were three of them and it wasn't really hard to place them. They were known well enough that even I knew of them, and that was purely by the rumors that floated around.

Their leader, Abumi Zaku, stood in the middle with a smirk on his face. One hand was on his hip and the other had just let go of my arm. His dark eyes regarded me with wicked amusement, like someone taking glee out of torturing a bird in a cage. His two favorite lackeys stood on either side of him. Dosu wrapped in bandages as usual and Kin looking like she had better places to be.

The Abumi gang…

Of course, ask any of the aristocracy and they'd tell you that Abumi Zaku and his friends had just formed a group. Not a gang, just a group of friends who hung out together in the city. Ask anyone _else_ and they'd tell you that the Abumi gang was a deadly force to be reckoned with, and it was better not to cross them if you valued all of your body parts. They all wore light jackets, which was surprising for the exceptionally warm weather. Though when I finally saw the gun bulges under those jackets, I was surprised behind a wall of cold chills. They were known for hand to hand fighting, specifically their viciousness during the fights. I'd never heard of them carrying guns before. Not that they ever got caught. The Abumi family was _well_ connected, with Zaku's own father being a Councilman with friendly ties to the Otokage.

"Look what we caught on our turf, guys." Zaku said, grinning wickedly. "Poor little girlie must be lost."

"Ugh. Just take her money and let's go." Kin said, more interested in her nails than she was in me.

"Don't be like that, Kin." He said and the woman shot him a glare. "Fine, fine." He reached for the pockets of my black shorts and I slapped his hands away once he got uncomfortably close.

"I don't have any money." I told him. It was the truth, since everyone knew it was just stupid to carry a purse or wallet downtown. Pickpockets were everywhere, and you couldn't even cross the street without someone trying to steal money from you. I never brought any with me, since I didn't need it. I went straight to work from my dorm and then straight back to my dorm after work. I didn't need money. I kept my ID in my back pocket and buttoned the pocket, but that was all.

Kin regarded me with disgust, but Zaku only worked harder. "No money? I guess we'll have to teach you what happens to people who don't pay up."

His hand reached for me again, but higher this time, grabbing the hem of my shirt and lifting. I gasped in surprise, struggling, and Zaku clamped a hand over my mouth. I struggled harder, digging my nails into Zaku's wrist before Dosu grabbed both of my arms and pinned them above my head. Zaku gave me an, "Ah ah ah. No screaming now" and lifted my shirt higher.

I took a deep breath through my nose to steel myself for what I was about to do. I opened my mouth as much as I could, biting down on whatever skin I could reach. Zaku retracted his hand with a wince and a "bitch!" I didn't waste any time and kicked him in the groin. I watched with satisfaction as he fell to his knees cupping his privates. Dosu was watching his friend in sympathetic pain, and I'd felt him flinch after the initial hit. I took advantage of his distraction and wrenched my hands out of his, elbowing him in the cheek.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kin's fist pulled back, so I kicked her at the most vulnerable part of her pelvic bone. She doubled over and I turned back around to see Dosu coming at me again. I thrust the heel of my hand upwards into his nose—or where his nose _should be_, I can't really see for all the bandages—hearing the _crack_ I was aiming for. Zaku was slowly getting up again, and I kicked the small of his back, sending him sprawling forwards.

All three were incapacitated, so I took that as my cue to run for it.

A "get her!" followed me down the street and sent horror and adrenaline racing through my veins. I turned a corner sharply, hoping to make it to the main street where there would be more traffic. I heard footsteps running after me, but it seemed like there was only one pair. They must have split up to cut me off. I tried to quiet my footsteps, but that slowed me down too much. I took another corner, racing off away from my destination. The main street would provide more traffic, but there were fewer places to hide along the streets that led to it.

I ran for what seemed like hours, my frantic mind trying to discern the best way back to civilization. I hadn't ever been to this part of Oto before, but it was closer to the center of the city. The streets were deserted around here, having fewer shops that needed to stay open this late. I couldn't even see a convenience store to get help from. This was just my luck…to be chased into a deserted part of town and not be able to get help. I didn't have a cell phone, and I didn't even have money for a payphone.

Silence surrounded me, so I took this opportunity to lean against the building next to me to rest. I was panting from all the running, and I was trying to keep my heavy breathing as quiet as possible. I was decently in shape, but being on my feet for six hours carrying pints of beer had exhausted me. I didn't hear anything for awhile, and I hoped this meant that they'd given up.

"…can't find her…back to base…" My head snapped to the other end of the street where I head a quiet voice. My body tensed, ready to run again. "Sure…bye."

I heard footsteps, and didn't bother to wait to see whoever it was. I turned and started running, eventually hearing footsteps running after me. They were quiet, which meant that they were still a couple blocks away. That was a small comfort, at least, but not enough. I tried to run faster, picking up speed and putting another block between us, looking at the road ahead and deciding on how I was going to lose them this time.

I turned the corner into a seldom-used side street and immediately crashed into a warm body. An arm came to rest around my waist and I gasped in fear. My eyes screwed shut and my hands instinctively went to his chest—there's no way the wall of muscle I ran into could be a woman—to push him away. I wasn't expecting him to let go of me easily, but I certainly wasn't expecting the arm around me to turn to iron and hold me in place. I was stronger than the other girls I knew, and even some boys, so how could I not make this man loosen his arm even a little?

I opened my eyes and felt them glassy with unshed tears. Please don't let it be someone from Abumi's gang, I thought. Granted, he smelled better than Zaku or his lackeys had, and when my eyes focused I could see that he dressed better too. Without my noticing, my fists had clenched in a navy blue button down shirt. I slowly trailed my eyes up towards his face looking to either see my savior or my enemy. My eyes looked upwards at his pretty features until I came to two onyx orbs that I could drown in. His black hair covered some of his face, but I immediately knew who he was.

I had just run into Prince Sasuke.

He looked amused at first, though I couldn't place why. It was probably because he wasn't used to women trying to tear themselves away from him, since from what I've heard he practically has them throwing themselves at his feet. Of course, he could be more superficial and be laughing at my hair color. It was a strange color, which was one-of-a-kind in Otogakure. Even in Konoha, where the hair colors were a bit more varied with blondes and redheads, it was probably rare. I doubt he'd believe me if I told him it was natural.

I don't know how long we stared at each other, but out of the corner of my eye I saw the smirk slip right off his face. His eyes narrowed and I tried to take a step back, but his damnable arm kept me in place. I sunk my teeth into my lip to avoid letting out a frightened whimper. I had forgotten that he was here for reasons more political than social. If he turned me in to the police, he'd likely get a commendation on top of the medals he was here to receive. Technically, I'd just attacked the son of a Councilman. If he spun it the right way, he could even go so far as to say I'd attacked _him_. No one would question him despite what my testimony said. They would lock me up in an instant. I guess in the end, it would just come down to if he had a merciful personality or not.

My thoughts were interrupted as I heard running footsteps pounding the pavement from the way I'd come. I flinched at the sound and turned my head towards the main road, knowing that if I didn't move fast Zaku would come around the corner and probably kill me. Not to mention I really didn't want to involve the Prince like this. Sure I didn't know the man, but I didn't want him to come to any harm either. I spun around to face him, pushing on his chest and hoping—_praying_—he would let me go this time.

No luck.

"Please." I said, struggling. "You have to let me go. They'll—"

As soon as I implied other people, I saw his face go absolutely _cold_. Those obsidian pools that were his eyes hardened to black ice, and he lifted his face to someone who was standing off to his side. I had noticed another presence earlier, seeing a white shirt briefly as I turned the corner. At first, I ignored him to deal with the threat of the man who had me trapped in his arms. After the Prince and I started our staring contest, I had forgotten him entirely, too entranced by black pools and spiked hair.

"Hyuuga." Prince Sasuke said shortly. The one word reverberated throughout his chest and I tried unsuccessfully to repress a shudder when I felt the vibrations. I turned my head to look at the other man. He was considerably tall with longer hair than I would have suspected. It was tied low in the back and was a deep chocolate brown. His bangs hid his eyes from view, but through the gaps I could see that his irises were white. I thought this was a little strange, but it's not like I can talk about strange colorings.

The man nodded, but before he could react to do anything I saw Dosu turn the corner.

I didn't even realize what happened next until it was over. The Prince pivoted with me still in his arms and bared his back to Dosu. Somehow he'd managed to turn me around so that my back was to his chest and he bent over me so that I was completely shielded. I heard a _bang_ and then a grunt. Two more gunshots went off before I heard retreating footsteps, and then there was silence.

This all happened in less than five seconds.

The Prince loosened his grip and I wrenched myself out of his arms to see the damage. The other man—Hyuu-something—was standing with his stance a little wider than normal, both arms to his side and his shoulders slumped over. Without him turning around I could already tell he'd been hit at least once.

Suddenly, his shoulders straightened and he turned around with his head held in an authoritative manner. I winced as I saw a dark stain blooming under his ribcage. Without warning, his eyes rolled into the back of his skull and he listed forwards.

Prince Sasuke was there in an instant, catching his friend and putting his arm from his uninjured side around his shoulders. I looked around and saw a small alcove with a rusted metal door that was used as a back entrance to one of the businesses. All the businesses were closed, so we wouldn't get any help there, but it would at least be somewhere to hide. I walked to the Prince and helped to support the longhaired man from the other side.

"They'll probably be back soon with reinforcements. We can hide there—" I nodded at the alcove "—until the police arrive." The Prince nodded and we dragged his friend over to the alcove, and I only relaxed a little when there was brick surrounding us on three sides. We laid the wounded man on the ground and I checked his pulse. The Prince took the gun that was still in the injured man's fingers and went to the opening of the alcove, looking ready to shoot at any sign of a threat.

Sometimes it was easy to forget that even though he was a Prince and had a pretty face, he was still a deadly force.

The man had a pulse, and his breathing was a little ragged but I didn't suspect the bullet hit a lung. I've never dissected a body before but I think the bullet was too low to have hit his lung. I also didn't think it had hit any major organs, and definitely no arteries, so that was a good sign. Still, I frowned, he was losing a lot of blood. Nearly a quarter of his shirt was soaked with crimson. True bullet wounds were bad, but he shouldn't be bleeding this much if the wound was far away from any arteries. Something wasn't adding up.

I grabbed both sides of his shirt and pulled harshly, buttons flying in all directions and some ripping being heard. After I pushed that away, I ripped his undershirt in half to reveal the bullet wound. If I had been less frantic about the whole situation, I would have noticed that I was looking at one of the finest physiques I'd ever seen. I had nothing to compare them to except for the men on Tayuya's soap opera shows, but I think this guy took the prize.

The wound was closer to the center of his body than I thought. There was an artery there, because we just had a lecture on this in my _Intro to Human Anatomy_ class. It was the…it starts with an R. Ru…Ri…Re…Ren…Renal! His renal artery. I inwardly smiled as my intellect came through for me again.

But then my mood dampened as I realized my intellect wasn't really going to help me much here. He was bleeding too much. I needed to apply pressure to the wound with something that absorbed liquid. I wasn't about to move an injured man to get to his shirt, and I wasn't about to ask the Prince for anything, so I crossed my arms and grabbed the hem of my shirt. I had gotten it halfway up my body when I realized there was another person besides the injured man and myself. I snapped my head towards the Prince who was looking at me with a curious but very interested expression. I flushed horribly.

"Don't judge me." Which was more of a plea than an order. I just hoped he didn't return to the Royal Palace in Konoha and mention the slut that had gotten his friend—bodyguard?—shot.

I took off my t-shirt, revealing the white camisole that I wore underneath. Some of the other waitresses didn't mind that patrons could see their bras and bellybuttons since it got them better tips. I was too much of a prude for that. Even now I was regretting the action as my upper half tingled and my face flushed in embarrassment. I knew the Prince was probably looking at my bare shoulders and the uncomfortably low neckline that was the most modest I could find, but I was not about to look at him to confirm my suspicions.

I balled up my shirt and put it on the wound, leaning over the man's body so I could apply pressure to the wound with the weight from the upper half of my body. Even though he was unconscious, I saw the man wince, and I winced in sympathetic response. "Sorry." I whispered to him.

I swallowed hard. "I'm sorry." I said a little louder so the Prince could hear me. I stared at the ground though, determined not to look at him. "I didn't mean to get anyone else caught up in this."

"Why were they chasing you?" The Prince's voice rumbled. I tentatively looked at him. He was sitting now by the opening looking out at the street with one of his legs was propped up. He had one arm resting on his knee while the other rested on the ground, holding the gun loosely. His posture looked lazy, but I had no doubt he could probably be active in about half a second.

"They cornered me earlier and I damaged their pride and…um…a bit more than that." I watched the Prince smirk and I felt my heart flutter for a moment. "I didn't expect them to have guns. The gang they run with usually doesn't use them."

The Prince's eyebrows furrowed. "People know about them and yet nothing has been done?" He sounded a little incredulous. I didn't know what the crime rate was in the Fire Country, but I guarantee it was lower than in Rice Fields.

"Their leader is a Councilman's son and the Otokage's godson. It's their word against anyone else's."

There was a pause. "So your _Kage_ knows about this?"

"Probably, but case you haven't noticed, Orochimaru is an asshole." I gasped, my eyes widening. If word got around that I said such a thing, especially in the heart of the capitol, I could be thrown in jail. It wasn't such an issue in the rural areas of Rice Fields. There, it was just unpatriotic. It was a different story in the capitol, though. The people of Oto were protective of their Kage. Even if he were the most horrible man in the world they would still fight for his honor. And the Prince was meeting with him soon to accept medals from him; he'd have every chance in the world to tell the Kage of my words. "Please don't tell him I said that."

"Why would I say anything? It's your opinion."

"It's _treasonous_! I could be thrown in prison!"

All this time, the Prince had kept one eye on the street outside and one eye on his friend and me. Now his head was turned fully towards me and he leveled a stare at me. "That's ridiculous. No one should be punished for having an _opinion_."

I ducked my head and stared at the ground, knowing it wasn't his intention but feeling chastised all the same. I'd only known the man for less than five minutes and I had probably given him a horrible bias against the Land of Rice Fields. Not that this was new, I suppose. Rice Fields wasn't exactly a major power in the world and was generally looked at as "third-world" in most of the country except the capitol. I suppose that was why the standard of education was so high. Orochimaru had to push people so they could give the country a better name. Meanwhile, Fire Country had everything to boast about. A little criticism to the Hokage would just be brushed aside with a list of all the good he's done for the country. Of course the Hokage had been known to listen to criticism and take it constructively while Orochimaru just didn't want to hear any of it.

"Sorry." I said softly, still not looking at him. "I guess things are just different in Fire Country."

We lapsed into an uncomfortable silence. I didn't know why I felt so bad. I'd never considered Rice Fields to be _my_ country, since I've never been particularly attached to anything here. The only thing that was here for me were my parent's graves, and even those were hundreds of miles away in a place that I doubt I'll ever return to. I intend to leave when I have enough money, but working a minimum wage job and having a university suck my earnings and my inheritance away from me, that time was long in coming. I'd already calculated it and my funds won't last me through graduation, let alone through med school. I was going to have to get another job or quit school, and I wanted to be a doctor too much to do the latter.

The Prince cleared his throat. "Not that anyone else has to know," he said, and I looked at him again. He wasn't staring at me, but instead at the wall in front of him, looking a little unsure. "I think he's an asshole too." He shifted his gaze over to me and his face was a little softer than I'd ever seen it. I got the feeling he didn't smile much, but that's what I was going to interpret this as. I looked surprised for a moment at his choice of words and then broke out into my own toothy smile. It's been a long time since I've had a reason to smile at all.

"How is he?" The Prince asked. Apparently he decided the road was clear and quiet enough because he moved more inside the alcove to monitor his friend.

"He'll be fine. In fact, the bleeding will probably stop in a few more minutes." The amount of red soaking into my shirt wasn't nearly as much as before. "It didn't hit anything major."

"Are you a doctor?" He asked. I figured I could take this question one of two ways. He was either asking out of curiosity or he was asking if I was qualified enough to do what I was doing. I took it to mean the former, since he hadn't asked me about my qualifications when I first started, so it was probably just curiosity on his part. I mentally gave him props for not being sexist and asking if I was a nurse.

"No." I told him. "Pre-Med student."

"First-year?"

"Second." I told him. He seemed a little surprised. "I skipped seventh grade."

"Ah." He said. It was strange to think that if I was going to school in the Fire Country I'd still be a Freshman. "Are you…looking to go to Konoha's med school?"

I smiled sadly. "I wish I could." Which was the honest truth, because Konoha had the best med school in the world. Some of the brightest and most famous doctors had graduated there and I wanted to be among their ranks. My personal idol, Tsunade, graduated there however many years ago and she was considered to be the best doctor in modern times and probably in history. I didn't pay for many things that weren't essential to surviving, but I would pay whatever to read her publications in scientific journals. I wanted to go to the Konoha School of Medicine to be more like her. There was no chance of that happening unless a miracle occurred, though. "But there's no way I could afford it."

"…sorry."

"If it's not meant to happen then it's just not meant to happen, I guess."

I saw a black boot come into the alcove's limited view followed by the signature black and white pants of the Abumi gang. How did he sneak up on us? Why did I distract Prince Sasuke? My hands were starting to shake again. Zaku appeared, gun in hand, with a sinister smile on his face. He did look surprised to see the Prince of Konoha with me, but he became no less threatening. His gun raised a few inches.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't—"

I don't know when I'd done it, when I try to remember my train of thought or reasoning it's just a blur. I dove for Prince Sasuke's gun and raised it to Zaku, firing off three rounds into the man's chest before he could even finish his sentence.

His mouth opened in shock. The gun dropped from his hands and clattered to the ground noisily. Zaku's knees gave way and he fell to the ground, with no effort to catch his fall or to keep his head from cracking into the cement. I could do nothing but stare at him, unblinking. I've just…I've just killed a man! My body was shaking and I willed it still in vain. I've spent most of my life wanting to save lives and I've just taken a life away! Why couldn't he just leave me alone?

I still had a white-knuckled grip on the gun, which I finally noticed was being gently pried from my hands. I tried to ease my grip but my fingers wouldn't respond. I finally felt its weight disappear from my hand and someone pulling me to my feet. I wanted to be relieved the gun was gone, but I found only unease in the fact that I had nothing to protect myself with now. What if Dosu or Kin came and saw his body and I had nothing to defend myself with? If they shot me, would we be even? Would I feel better about myself? I couldn't imagine ever feeling good about myself ever again, seeing Zaku's bleeding body on the ground.

_He was a threat_, my mind whispered.

He didn't deserve to be shot, no one did. No one deserved to lay on the cement dying because someone thought he was too much of a threat. What if he wasn't really going to pull the trigger? And I'd shot him three times! Three! Why couldn't I just shoot him in the leg or something? There was no way either of us was that lucky that at least one bullet hadn't pierced an organ or an artery. Why?

A navy blue shirt blocked my view of Zaku's body. I couldn't look him in the face. He killed to protect his country, I was a murderer! I—!

"Hey," he said softly. I still wouldn't look at him. A finger under my chin tilted my face upwards until I was looking at him in the eyes. "Are you okay?"

I nodded a few times just out of reflex and paused. Who was I kidding? My body was shaking, my eyes were glassy, and I probably looked like…well, like I'd just killed a man. I probably couldn't fool him if I tried. My gaze dropped back to the ground and I shook my head vigorously.

His hands came to rest on my shoulders and I expected a pat on the head and an "I'm sorry you just had to kill a guy." I certainly wasn't expecting him to suddenly draw me closer to him and wrap his arms around me, or to lower his head so that his temple rested against mine.

"I'm sorry." I whimpered against his shirt.

"I know."

Hesitantly, I brought my arms around him, too. But I didn't really know what to do. Is it appropriate to hug him? If I hold him tighter, will he think I'm being clingy? We haven't even known each other for more than ten minutes. All of these thoughts flew out of my mind when I gave my first uncontrollable sob. I buried my face in his chest and gripped the back of his shirt, suddenly not caring what he thought of me. We were never going to see each other after this anyway.

I stayed in his arms, shivering with horror and adrenaline. I bit my lip to keep from letting out noise. I thought I was stronger than this, but my emotions were breaking in front of me and it was all I could do to keep from falling apart. I never liked people seeing me cry. It was…weak. I probably only thought that way because of teasing I endured when I was little and cried all the time. My parents never condoned me crying, but I'd always felt a little guilty for making them worry so much. I sobbed as I realized they were probably looking on in the afterlife, not exactly calling me a murderer but reprimanding me for what I'd done all the same. My parents hadn't ever liked violence, which is why being drafted into the war had been so hard on my father, but wasn't shooting a man who was about to kill you justified? Isn't it okay to defend yourself?

There were no tears and I was surprised. Didn't Zaku deserve them? My heart felt a little lighter as I realized that no, he didn't. Even though I'll regret killing him, I won't regret doing what I thought was right. He had a gun, one of his friends shot the Prince's bodyguard, he was obviously out for revenge for me injuring him earlier. It…was the right thing to do.

My ragged breathing became a little bit more stable and my fists weren't tightly clenched in his shirt anymore. I had them clasped at the small of his back, and if I'd been a bit clearer headed I would have snatched them away immediately. Now I couldn't focus or care enough to do so. My body was coming out of a hyper-anxious state and I was a little exhausted to be honest. I laid my cheek against the Prince's shoulder and let out a shudder. The trembling wasn't entirely gone yet, but it was down to the point where I only shivered every little bit or so.

I was still glad he was still blocking my view of the body. I wasn't ready for that yet.

Prince Sasuke hadn't moved.

"I'm…okay now." I said, slightly regretting it since it meant he'd probably stop holding me. I've never really hugged anyone except for my parents, and the few friends I've had weren't really the touchy-feely kind. I made no move to move away though, and neither did the Prince. "I'm still sorry I had to shoot him but…I did what I thought I needed to, and I stand by that."

"It was self-defense." He reasoned. "Not to mention you saved my life and Neji's." I jumped and looked to my patient on the floor, having forgotten all about him. It looked like the bleeding had completely stopped now, and I could see the beginnings of a clot forming around the wound. I smiled a little. "I suppose we both owe you now."

I looked back at the Prince and frowned. "Neither of you owe me anything, that's silly."

"You just saved our lives." He prodded. I guess he was the kind of guy that didn't like to leave a debt unpaid.

"I didn't do it so that you would owe me. I didn't even _mean_ to do it." He still looked a little put out, and I realized I was going to have to come up with something. "If anything you both saved _me _tonight. If I hadn't run into you, Zaku would have eventually found me by myself and—" I stopped talking. I didn't even want to think about what would have happened if he or Dosu found me before the Prince and Neji. "The point is," I began again, "you're both in this because of me and I guess if you would just forgive me for that we could…call it even?" I hadn't realized my eyes had drifted down until I had to drag them back up again to meet his eyes. He looked a little surprised. I guess he was used to people asking him for a lot more. I could have asked for money, I guess, but it would have felt wrong taking money when he didn't really owe me in the first place. His friend was _shot_ because of me, the Prince himself shielded me from bullets _with his own body_. That kind of bravery makes me wonder if I still owe _them_.

"You're…forgiven." He said, although he sounded as if that still wasn't enough.

There was a grunt from below us telling me that Neji had woken. I looked down at him again. "You're awake." I said in relief. He was trying to sit up a little, and I wanted to go over and help him but the Prince's arms were like forged steel.

"You'll damage his pride helping him now." He whispered to me. "Let him sit up on his own and then check on him."

I bit my lip in hesitation but nodded all the same. "You didn't let me go earlier, either. Why is that?"

"I wanted to see what kind of person could get past him." He nodded in Neji's direction. "He's not really easy to sneak past."

I lowered my voice. "Probably shouldn't remind him of that though. His ego's been bruised quite enough for one night, I think."

The Prince lowered his voice, too. "But it will be so fun teasing him about it until he recovers."

I laughed. "You're horrible!"

Our conversation was interrupted when flashing white lights came down the street. I sobered up immediately. They'd decided to keep their sirens off, I see.

"The police are here." I told him, and this time he allowed me to step out of his arms. My gaze flickered to where I could see Zaku's body and I swallowed hard, looking nervously back at the Prince. "I…It will be ok, right?" I asked him.

He nodded. "Aa. It will be."

"_Freeze!_ Turn around and hold up your hands!"

I held mine up, but the Prince was a little more reluctant. Even I thought they'd recognize him, but they were probably some of the Department's most idiotic officers, sent to investigate shots fired in the area. There were two of them and they both had their gun barrels leveled in our direction.

"Please," I said. "They need medical attention. Call an ambulance."

"No talking!" One officer said and sighted down his gun, aiming.

"That is Abumi Zaku." I said authoritatively, nodding at Zaku on the ground. "Councilman Abumi's son and the Otokage's godson. How would they react if they knew that Otogakure's _finest_ had been in a situation to help and had done nothing?" The two looked at each other warily. I was bluffing, of course, Zaku was dead, but I would be happy to tell any lie I needed to get Neji to the hospital faster. "Call an ambulance for him and for the man over here, who has also been shot."

One of the officers looked down. "Shit! It's really the Councilman's son!" He reached down and felt for a pulse. "He's barely alive! Call for that ambulance, quick!"

The other officer scrambled for his radio and called for an ambulance and backup.

I was stunned. He's _alive_? That's wonderful news! That means I didn't kill anyone after all! Despite all of his wrong-doings, I sent a short prayer his way. I smiled and sighed in relief. The Prince and I started to lower our hands but the second we did there were two gun barrels trained on us again.

"You two need to come with us. You're both suspects for the attempted murder of Abumi Zaku." I opened my mouth to close it but snapped it shut, deciding arguing right now would be unwise. "All right, come here one at a time. You first, girl."

I stepped forward and as soon as I was within range one police officer grabbed my upper arm and threw me against the hood of his car. My breath was knocked out of me as my stomach collided with the metal, and I was forced to catch my upper body on my arms or risk meeting the hood with my face. I gasped and coughed a few times to get my breath back.

"Ah ah ah, sir." I heard behind me from the other police officer. "Stay right there until it's your turn. We just have to do a simple check to make sure neither of you are dangerous."

_Simple check my ass_, I thought. These two were mad and likely no one would care if we were bumped around a bit before arriving at the station. In their eyes, one of us could have possibly shot Zaku, and that was unacceptable.

The officer started at my foot and worked his way patting up my leg. I wanted to growl at him that I was wearing shorts and there was no reason to touch, but that would make the situation worse. My teeth were clenched, though, and I thought my jaw was about to break when he got to my thighs and smoothed his hands around my hips and butt. My hands fisted where they rested on the metal and I shut my eyes and willed this to be over quickly.

Behind me, I heard the Prince _growl_. It was such a menacing sound and I could almost imagine the murderous look on his face. Even in my predicament I felt myself smile. It was nice to know there was at least one person out there who was willing to stick up for me when I didn't have the confidence to do it myself.

An ambulance turned the corner and I heard the officer patting me down sigh, and then finish rather quickly. "She's clean." He said. He then handcuffed me behind my back and slid me into the back of the police car. Sasuke was next and they slammed him against the car just as hard. I winced when they found the gun I'd shot Zaku with, Sasuke having apparently turned the safety on and stuck it in the waistband of his pants. They put it in an evidence bag, cuffed Sasuke, and put him in the car beside me, shutting the door.

"Hey." I said a little dryly.

"Don't these people know anything?" He growled. "You don't put two accomplices in the same space when you take them in for questioning."

"They're not high enough on the pay grade to know that." I said, and then I grinned at him. "So should we get our story straight?"

He snorted a laugh.

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**Author's Notes: **Whew! Probably the longest first chapter I've ever done…not that anyone minds, of course. I was so excited to start writing this that I just _kept_ writing this chapter and couldn't stop. It seems like our fair Prince and Sakura have gotten themselves in a bit of a bind though. Will they get thrown in jail? Will _anyone_ recognize Sasuke? Stay tuned for chapter 2 and, as always, please review and let me know what you think!


	2. Locked in the Tallest Tower

**Author's Notes: **Yay! Another chapter! You all are lucky to have this one so fast, since I just started watching Sherlock on BBC and I'm hooked. What an amazing show! Also, thank you all so much for your interest in this story, and I hope that you continue to be as excited about it as I am. But enough talk…you all are here for some SasuSaku action, so who am I to keep you from it?

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Title: Love and in War

Rating: T (or PG-13)

Summary: [SasuSaku] The first time I met Prince Sasuke was the night he saved my life. I never thought I would see him again, and I certainly never expected to fall in love with him.

Pairings: SasuSaku

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 2: Locked in the Tallest Tower

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The ride to the police station was quiet, but was nothing short of entertaining. The two cops rode in the front, and the only thing separating them from us was a metal grille. At first, Prince Sasuke and I had been completely ignored. We sat through their commentary of the latest football game—I now knew which cheerleader had the finest ass—until the Prince could stand it no longer. He tapped my foot with his and gestured to the police in front of us, rolling his eyes. I couldn't stop the giggle that escaped from my throat.

The officer in the passenger seat whirled around and banged his nightstick against the grille. "No talking!" When he turned back around, it was my turn to roll my eyes.

I decided there was no way I could make it through the ride without making another smart-ass comment. Since talking would be a little risky, I decided to put rusty skills to use.

_Save me_, I tapped out in Morse code against the Prince's calf with my foot. He looked at me, surprised.

_You know Morse code_. I interpreted this to be a question, but it was hard to tell since he hadn't bothered to put a punctuation mark on it.

_Yes_. In addition to the lack of televisions, the rural area I'd grown up in had few phones. My family didn't own one, but we did own a telegraph. It was surprising that a lot of people did, considering they were nonexistent in the suburbs and urban areas of the country. Though I suppose since most war veterans choose a rural area to retire to, Morse code makes sense.

_How_. Again, I mentally tacked on a question mark at the end of this.

_Grew up with it_. I paused as I heard the driver laugh obnoxiously loud. _Can I shoot him_?

_You would regret it_.

_Then can you shoot him_?

The Prince smirked and let out a few laughs under his breath. When the same officer whipped his head around again to yell at us, nightstick bared, the Prince started to cough to cover up his amusement.

"I said no talking!"

In the rearview mirror, I saw the driver frown. "They weren't talking, Daichi."

"Of course they were! I heard this one laugh!" He pointed at the Prince.

"But their mouths weren't moving."

Officer Daichi smacked the nightstick against the grille again. "Look here, no funny business! Do you understand me?" Prince Sasuke and I remained quiet. The officer growled. "I asked you both a question!"

"So we can talk now?" The Prince asked dryly.

"No! No talking!" And then he must have realized he'd backed himself into a corner of idiocy because he suddenly let out a foul curse word. I did my best to stop smiling (but failed miserably) and I had no doubt the Prince was smirking. "No laughing either!" He turned around in his seat, crossed his arms, and was silent for the remainder of the trip.

We finally arrived at the police station and were guided into an interrogation room by one irate officer and another mildly irritated one. The fact that they placed us both in the same interrogation room aggravated Prince Sasuke. They removed the cuffs from behind our backs and chained us to the table instead.

"Unbelievable." The Prince muttered. I assumed he was talking about the incompetence of the Otogakure Police Force. I'd never dealt with them before in the past, but I had to agree. It had taken them ten minutes to investigate gunfire in the middle of the city, where there were likely tons of cars patrolling. They also hadn't even recognized a visiting celebrity.

Another officer walked into the room with a clipboard, not sparing us a look. He stood by the door, pen held to paper. "Names." He said brusquely.

Prince Sasuke's hand fisted on the table and he leaned forward in a manner that had me imagining that _he_ was the one doing the interrogating. His eyes were narrowed as well and I blinked. I guess he's tired of being ignored and unrecognized.

The Prince bared his teeth before speaking. "Prince Sasuke of the Konohagakure Uchiha Clan." His teeth were clenched now. I blinked again, feeling small in his presence for the first time. The only thing that was going to be coming out of my mouth was _Haruno Sakura_.

The officer gave a long-suffering sigh. "Ha ha." He said dryly. "That's hilarious. Now what—" He finally glanced at us and did a double take. I could have sworn every muscle in his body locked up as I visibly watched him _freeze_ before my eyes. "Well…shit…" With that statement, he made a hasty exit and we heard him frantically yelling for someone before the door closed and there was silence. I giggled as I remembered the look on his face. I didn't hear the Prince's usual snort/laugh, so I looked at him to see if he was still pissed.

He wasn't, as it turns out. He wasn't even looking at the door where the foolish officer had disappeared. Instead, he was looking at _me_, a look of surprise written across his face. I stopped laughing and blushed a little under his scrutiny.

"You've…known?" He asked. It sounded like he was having a hard time understanding the situation, considering he almost had to choke the words out.

It took me a moment to realize what he was asking, but I realized for the first time that we hadn't actually introduced ourselves. I haven't been curious because I've known who he was all along, but it just occurred to me that to him I was just "hey you" or "the girl."

"Yes," I admitted. "I've known." I frowned, remembering all the incompetence and stupidity he's seen from residents of Oto and I suddenly hoped he didn't group me with them. "I'm not that uncultured, you know. Besides," I told him, remembering something that my father had always said. "You don't ask for someone's name unless you give yours away first." His mouth was still hanging a little bit open and I saw his eye twitch once. "There was never a chance for me to do that, so…" He still had a funny expression on his face. "I'm going to laugh when your face sticks like that."

He blinked at me.

Without warning, the door open and a man in a suit came in. I could already tell he was different than the others, since he gave about an air of authority. However, even though he looked confident, I caught an emotion in his eyes that told me he was very ashamed. He had a key and unlocked the handcuffs from around the Prince's wrists.

"Your Highness, forgive us. I'm very sorry for the inconvenience and the officers responsible are being dealt with as we speak." Once the Prince stood up, they shook hands. "I'm the Captain of the men responsible and I will be speaking to them shortly."

If it were me, I would likely say something like "No harm done" even if I was deeply offended. It didn't surprise me when the Prince didn't say anything, and his silence and an almost glare were causing the Captain to squirm.

"If you will please come with me, Orochimaru-sama is on his way over here to personally offer you his apologies."

That was the absolute _least_ the Otokage could get away with, I suppose. Then again he would probably give the Prince some sort of bribe to accept the incident as a simple misunderstanding. But that didn't sit right with me and I doubted it would with Prince Sasuke either, and I doubt he would accept.

"What about her?" Prince Sasuke asked, referencing me. I was flattered he remembered me in the first place. He could have walked out of here without a goodbye and no one would think any differently of him, but here he was going out on a limb for me. Why? I suppose he still felt like he owed me. I was a little surprised at the pang of hurt in my chest when I realized he was probably doing this because he _owed _me.

The Captain looked at my hair first before noticing the rest of me. "I'm afraid she is still a suspect and we are required to keep her here for questioning."

"She is _innocent_."

My heart fluttered at his insistence and I wanted to believe maybe he was sticking up for me for justice after all.

"My apologies, Your Highness, but an important member of our community is in critical condition and this woman may have had something to do with it directly."

The Prince sat back down in his chair beside me and I thought my heart was going to stop. My mouth and eyes were wide open and I'm pretty sure I wasn't breathing. The Captain looked about the same way I did, except he looked even more unsure.

_What are you doing?_ I tapped out furiously against his leg.

He turned to me and gave me the same look he had when he said that everything was okay. With a finger against my chin, he pushed my mouth shut. It was then that the thought hit me that he wasn't doing this because he owed me. It wasn't just justice either, he was actually doing this because it was the right thing to do and I deserved to have someone stick up for me. For the little guy. I realized for the first time that if he had walked out of that door, I would probably be going to prison.

"Your Highness," The Captain started. When he wasn't talking, he was gaping like a fish out of water. "This is highly…improper. Orochimaru-sama is…there's no need for you to be questioned."

"I witnessed the shooting as well." The Prince narrowed his eyes. "Why am I not being questioned?"

"You are an honorary guest of this country…and you…"

"…happened to witness a shooting. You haven't arrested either of us, and a man has just been shot under your jurisdiction. Now," He leaned forward and looked _cold_. "I insist."

"I…" The Captain looked unsure, but eventually decided it would be even more unwise to question a Prince and a military officer of a foreign country. He sat down in the interrogator's chair. "Very well then." He folded his arms on the table in between us. "Now, who shot Abumi Zaku?"

"I did, sir." I said quietly. It was slightly disgusting how _relieved_ the Captain looked at that statement.

"Now, you see?" The Captain said, moving to stand up. "There's really no reason for you to be here, Your Highness. If you'll just—"

"Let. Her. Talk." The Prince ground out. His arms were folded and it was pretty obvious he wasn't going to budge on the subject. The Captain looked a bit annoyed, but nodded for me to continue.

I gave my tale, starting from when I left work and bumped into Zaku, Dosu, and Kin. I admitted that I attacked them—noting that the Captain looked _very_ satisfied with that tidbit of information—but it had been in self-defense since they had been trying to mug me and had pretty crudely grabbed the hem of my shirt. I told him I started running.

"That's when I bumped into him." I said, looking at the Prince. He looked down at me then and nodded, motioning for me to continue. I hoped this was also a gesture to mean that he was willing to back me up for the next part of my story, since if he didn't I was screwed.

I told the Captain about Dosu rounding the corner and how Neji had taken a bullet for us. The Prince collaborated this and said that his bodyguard (I think I guessed at that once, but it's never actually been confirmed until now) had taken the shot. He said that Neji would be willing to give a statement once he was well enough. I told him how we hid in the alcove and I administered pretty basic first aid to Neji to keep him from bleeding to death.

When it got to the part about Zaku though, that's when it all went downhill.

"Zaku stepped around the corner and began lifting a gun, so I…I grabbed Neji's gun and…shot him." My voice had gone quiet. "The two police officers showed up soon after."

The Captain had a peculiar look on his face. "Did either of you touch Zaku physically at any point?"

I shook my head. "No, sir. Neither of us went near the body." Beside me, the Prince nodded in agreement.

"Odd…because no weapon was found on or near Zaku."

My mouth fell open of its own accord. "Th—That's impossible!" Zaku had been pointing a gun at us! I…I had been so sure of it! Had I been hallucinating? If I had, and Zaku really didn't have a gun, then I could have killed an innocent man. No, there had been a gun. I'd heard it click and remembered the moonlight bouncing off of it all too clearly.

"Please keep your voice down." The Captain said. "Your Highness, did you see a gun?"

"No." I froze in horror at his words. I thought he'd seen it! It had been so unmistakable to me, but I guess I forgot that the Prince had his back turned the whole time. "But I heard it fall to the ground after he was shot. He was definitely armed."

The Captain looked stumped. He obviously didn't believe us, but he was hesitant to question the Prince's word. "Very well then, I…will have my officers canvas the scene again. But if they don't find anything, it's not going to look good for you." He shot a pointed look in my direction. "Now that that's settled, if you will come with me, Your Highness? Orochimaru-sama should be here by now and he will want to speak with you."

This time, Prince Sasuke stood up without much of a fight. I stayed seated, looking at the table and steeling myself to watch the Prince walk into freedom. My wrists were still chained to the table, I had nowhere to go. The Prince looked at the Captain pointedly.

"Is there really a need to keep her in handcuffs?" He asked. The wording itself sounded polite but the way the Prince asked it made it seem as though the Captain was the stupidest man in the world.

"Yes." The Captain answered. "If Zaku's gun is found then we will release her, but until then all the physical evidence points at her shooting an unarmed man. She will have to stay here until there is proof."

Prince Sasuke narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth to say something, but stopped, realizing the same time I did that the Captain had a point. There was no hard proof that I had done it in self-defense. If the Prince had been on the other side, he probably would have kept me in the interrogation room too until evidence was found. I suppose the Captain couldn't help that he was only doing his job.

I watched the Prince close his eyes for a moment as he slowly simmered down. He then looked at me, his expression a lot softer than the look he'd been directing at the Captain.

"Go." I said, knowing that if Orochimaru had to wait for any given period he would get pissed and likely take that out on poor unsuspecting victims…like me. True, I was worried. It was a long shot that the gun hadn't been picked up by now or the crime scene had originally been tampered with. At least I'll have it on my conscience that I'd done the right thing. I smiled at Prince Sasuke, having to force it to reach my eyes to assure him I was all right. "I'll be ok."

He hesitated for a second, but then nodded. My half-smile slipped from my face when the door shut behind him, and I looked forlornly at the table. It was disconcerting not knowing if I was going to walk out of here at all. Would I have to spend the night in one of the holding cells? The thought made me shiver.

The door opened again after a long while, and I looked up in surprise. I felt a flutter in my chest that told me I was hoping Prince Sasuke had come back for me. That same hope withered and died when I didn't recognize the man entering the room. Any hope I could have had disappeared as I saw the look on his face. He wasn't happy and he had no qualms about letting me know that.

"I am the District Attorney here," he began sharply. "Please refrain from asking any questions until I am done speaking."

I nodded slowly.

"I was watching from the observation room and parts of your story don't add up. For instance, if Dosu had gone to get reinforcements like you thought, why did only Zaku show up to your hiding place? And how is it that _you_ shot Zaku and not His Highness?" He gave me a look, not even bothering to sit down. "Why don't you tell me the _truth_ this time?"

I wondered if I could talk now and then decided that his question probably _wasn't_ rhetorical. "That was the truth." I said.

"Oh really?" I swallowed at his tone. "Then tell me why a group never known to carry weapons decides _out of the blue_ that they are going to start using guns? Your argument makes no sense. Also from what you told the Captain, you only saw Dosu for barely a second before Prince Sasuke—what did you say? Oh, right—_shielded you_. Tell me why a _Prince _with a _bodyguard_ would bother shielding anyone?"

"Ask him." My temper hadn't made an appearance yet, but I could feel it rising now that the Prince wasn't here to get mad _for_ me.

"Unfortunately, he is speaking with Orochimaru-sama at the moment. But that does bring me to my next point, how _did _you get the Prince of Konoha to collaborate your story? I can't imagine him wanting anything _you_ have to offer."

My hands fisted on the table. "He's collaborating my story because it's the _truth_. If you bothered to do your job properly, you would know that."

Unsurprisingly, he glared at me. "If by _doing my job properly_ you mean trying to make sense of your ridiculous tales then I think I am doing my job _just fine_. In case you haven't heard, an upstanding citizen has just been shot in cold blood."

"It was self-defense!" I protested. I wasn't even going to touch the whole _upstanding citizen_ bit.

"Then where is his gun?"

I knew this was getting into dangerous territory. Both of our voices were rising along with our tempers. It was equally as obvious that neither one of us was going to back down.

"What exactly are you trying to get me to confess to?"

"That you shot Abumi Zaku while he was unarmed and that he was just an innocent bystander." He appeared to try another tactic. "Tell me the truth and I'll see if I can get you a lighter sentence."

"Never." I said, sending him my best glare. "I meant every word I said. If you don't believe me, it is only a reflection of the utter incompetence of this depart—"

I never saw it coming. One moment I was pinning the DA under my stare and the next moment I was looking sideways, my cheek stinging and the smallest case of whiplash in my neck. I gasped once, no longer angry. He'd really just slapped me! I was more shocked than anything, but the pain was like a glass of ice water for my temper. There was a commotion outside, but I couldn't even decipher what the voices were saying through the shock and pain. I slowly turned my face to the front, wincing as my neck popped. Now what was I supposed to do? I was still going to fight for my cause but I never suspected he was willing to use actual violence. I chanced a glance at the DA and I stilled to see him looking just as shocked as I was.

"I…" he began. He didn't finish, but he did finally have a seat in the interrogator's chair with a sigh. He looked at the table a little mindlessly. "I'm…sorry. I'm afraid that Orochimaru-sama wants this to be wrapped up neatly and…" He hesitated. "None of the higher-ups want Zaku to be guilty."

I sat there for a moment. I wasn't angry anymore. I tried to be, thinking about how this man tried to get me to confess to something I obviously didn't do, but all my rage had ebbed away by now. It was understandable, in a way. If the Otokage wanted someone to be guilty he was going to do everything in his power to make them guilty. It was probably easier since both the Otokage and Councilman Abumi were able to speak for Zaku over some no-name orphaned college kid. I guess what they weren't counting on was that I had a prince as a witness, not to mention a backbone of my own.

"What do you think?" I asked him softly.

He looked at me, probably surprised I wasn't flying off the handle. "It's hard not to believe your story, especially since there is another witness but…if they don't find that gun you're probably going to go to prison."

"Oh…"

"If they don't find it, I can still get you a lighter sentence…"

I shook my head. "I don't want it if it means confessing to something I didn't do. I'm sorry that I shot him but I stand by the fact that I felt it was necessary. I would rather have a clear conscience than a lighter sentence."

"…then you could press charges against me."

I thought about that for a moment, then shook my head. "It's a…delicate situation. You were only trying to do your job, although I must admit catering to the higher-ups was a bit…" I didn't need to finish that sentence because he understood the message well enough. He stood up, unlocked my handcuffs, kneeled beside my chair and bowed _low_. I sat there with my mouth open.

"Please forgive me."

"As long as from now on you stand up for what is right, then I forgive you."

"Thank you."

The door suddenly swung open so harshly that it bounced against the adjacent wall and _vibrated_. Prince Sasuke stalked in the room without missing a beat, his eyes glued to the man still kneeling beside me. The chaos in the hallway I'd heard earlier followed him inside, but there were so many voices jumbled together that I couldn't distinguish what they were saying. All I could focus on was how murderous the Prince looked as he rounded the table and advanced towards the DA. I don't know how, but somehow he knew that the DA had slapped me.

I stood up quickly, placing myself in between the Prince and the man I'd already forgiven. "Your Highness, wait!"

He paused for only a moment, looking at me. His gaze zeroed in on my cheek and I saw in his face that he wasn't going to stop. He placed his hand on my shoulder and tried to move me aside, but I stood my ground.

"Prince Sasuke," I began, leaving out my earlier note of urgency. I placed my hand on top of his, but I didn't bother removing it from my shoulder. "Please…" He gave me a look that was full of repressed tension. He looked like he wanted to kill something, but I wasn't nervous at all. I guess somehow my subconscious realized that he wouldn't hurt me. His eyes were so intense, so full of pent up rage that I would have looked away if it were anyone else. I never could stop looking at his eyes, even when I had seen him on television for the first time.

His hand slid up to my cheek, cradling my jaw while his thumb lightly swiped over a particularly painful spot. I tried to stop the wince, but I found myself flinching anyway.

"He _hit_ you." He sounded like he couldn't understand why I was stopping him. My will faltered for a moment, but I realized that it had been a night filled with too many people getting hurt. I didn't want to see any more violence. Instead, another pressing point popped into my head.

"How did you…?"

Prince Sasuke gestured towards the observation room behind the darkened glass. "Someone opened the door at the right time and I was walking by." That made sense, considering there had been a commotion right outside the door after I'd been hit. I guess he'd been pretty furious.

"He apologized." I said by way of explanation.

The Prince's answer was a little incredulous even though his tone was as dry as a bone. "And you're satisfied with that?"

"Yes." He still didn't look convinced. "When my father was in the army, someone gave him some very valuable advice. You have to look underneath the underneath." I saw his eyes widen impeccably, but I didn't know why, so I continued. "It's not his fault."

_Orochimaru?_ He tapped out in Morse code behind my ear, so no one could see. I nodded.

"Thank you for worrying about me," I said, smiling a little. The last person to worry about me had been my father, and that had been more than two years ago.

The Prince closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, he looked significantly calmer.

"I'm so glad this is resolved." A new voice entered the conversation and I jumped a bit. I had forgotten anyone else was here, but now that I looked there were several people crowded into the doorway, watching the scene unfold. I blushed under all the attention. One person, the one who'd spoken, stepped away from the group and walked towards the Prince.

It was Orochimaru.

I felt myself swallow hard, and then there was instant embarrassment because I'm pretty sure the Prince felt it since his hand was still partially against my neck. The Prince dropped his hand from my jaw and partially turned to face Orochimaru. My heart picked up speed as I saw the man that I detested walking towards me. His eyes landed on me and he smirked, and there was nothing in his gaze that suggested he was even trying to be friendly. I let out a shaky breath. _Hold it together, Sakura! _I told myself.

Suddenly, the only thing I saw was the back of a blue shirt, and I don't think anyone could deny that the Prince had just put himself bodily in front of me. Oddly enough, that one gesture made me feel a hundred times better about the situation.

"So mistrusting…" Orochimaru said with amusement lacing his voice. "I merely wish to offer my apologies to her as well."

I saw what happened next through the reflection in the glass. Orochimaru put out a hand out presumably to push Prince Sasuke out of the way in the most respectful manner he could. It was obvious though that like I had been before, the Prince wasn't about to move an inch.

"Do not touch His Royal Highness." A voice as cold as steel sliced through the air. I looked to the doorway to see two men emerge in suits, wearing sunglasses even though they were inside. One was wearing bandages over his nose and cheeks while the other one had grown his hair so long over one eye that you couldn't make out the shaded glass beneath. Neither of them wore smiles. I'm pretty sure it's safe to say they're Neji's bodyguard buddies. I don't know if anyone else noticed, but I saw the Prince relax in front of me.

Orochimaru looked amused, but retracted his hand nonetheless. "I see Fire Country has trust issues. How unfortunate."

"Since you found the gun," The Prince said, and I noticed his voice had dropped almost to the point of making a threat. "Both of us will be leaving."

"Ah ah ah, Your Highness." Orochimaru said. "I wish to speak to her in private, to personally offer my condolences for such a _grievous_ act that my own godson is responsible for."

The Prince tensed up again, but out of the corner of my eye I saw his bodyguards shooting him warning looks. I don't suppose he could really refuse Orochimaru anyway. He was the Otokage and I was a citizen of Rice Fields. Prince Sasuke may have been royalty and a military officer, but he was in a foreign country where he had no jurisdiction.

The Prince turned to face me, and I nodded, feeling determined. If the Prince could shield me from bullets, move armies across nations, and stand up to the man I hated, then I felt I could at least be alone with the Otokage for a few minutes without feeling cowed. This was the man who drafted my father into the military. The man who led his troop into a slaughter in the first few weeks of the war's beginning. Orochimaru was too much of a coward and a bastard for me to feel afraid.

I looked straight at Orochimaru, refusing to avert my eyes. The people by the door filtered out slowly, reluctant to leave the scene. The Prince was the last one to leave, and he threw one last look over his shoulder. I didn't look at him, choosing instead to give my foe my true undivided attention.

The moment the door closed and we were alone, the Otokage muttered, "Very sneaky." I schooled my face to remain emotionless, even though I knew he was talking about me. "Impressive how you saved Hyuuga Neji's life, Sasuke told me all about it." I supposed he was trying to intimidate me by not adding an honorific to the Prince's name, making them seem like best buddies. His attempt was laughable and I wasn't fooled. "Are you going to Otogakure University?"

I nodded. "Pre-Med."

"I see…you will one day make a fine addition to our healthcare system." I wanted to tell him I would be moving _anywhere_ but here as soon as I could, but I didn't think that would help my cause much. I was barely _not_ telling him to go to Hell as it was. "Of course in order to do that, please avoid confrontations in the future. Now that you are a person of some interest, the government will be watching you a little closer now. I don't think I need to inform you that if you slip up again, the consequences will be most dire."

He was threatening me and both of us knew it. I stood my ground.

Orochimaru walked towards the door. "Have a pleasant rest of the night." His tone was sarcastic so I threw a final glare his way before he exited the room.

I waited for a few moments to give him the chance to disappear and walked out myself. I watched Councilman Abumi walking with him down the corridor, protesting that I hadn't been punished enough. Whatever he said in return was too quiet to hear. When they turned the corner, I let out a shudder of nerves that I'd repressed.

"Pent-up anxiety?" A voice asked. I turned to see one of the Prince's bodyguards sitting lazily on one of the vinyl chairs outside the Interrogation Room.

"Something like that." And then something occurred to me. If he was here, then where was the Prince? Why was he here and not _with_ the Prince?

"We had to send Prince Sasuke ahead for security reasons, but he had me stay behind to drive you home." He lowered his voice. "I don't think he trusts anyone here to do it."

I lowered my voice to match his. "I don't trust them either."

He laughed, and started to guide me out of the building. "I'm Hagane Kotetsu, one of the Royal Family's bodyguards." He said as we stepped into the elevator. I felt my stomach give a small lurch as we started the descent downwards.

"Then shouldn't you be with…?"

He waved me off. "Prince Sasuke is in a caravan with three bullet-proof SUVs and six other guards, not to mention he can hold his own, so he'll be fine without me."

We stepped off the elevator and into the cool night air. The moment we did, Hagane Kotetsu took his sunglasses off. "Blasted things, I can never see with them on."

I giggled. "But you look _oh so_ threatening with them on."

"I do believe you're mocking me."

"Don't be silly. If I was mocking you I would choose something other than your _sunglasses_."

He gave a humph. "I have nothing else to mock, thank you very much."

"Hmmm," I hummed in a bit of a non-agreement. "Thank you for driving me home, Mr. Hagane. I really hate to put you out of your way."

He waved at me again. "Call me Kotetsu. Believe me, Prince Sasuke would not agree to any other mode of transportation. Apparently you are some sort of magnet for unwanted attention."

"Thanks." I said dryly.

"His words, not mine." He grinned, and it was hard to imagine the person in front of me as the same person who had stood so threatening in the doorway earlier. I'd made it sound like I had been joking, but the sunglasses really did make him look like he was about to shoot someone. "I can see why he would say that." I rolled my eyes as I realized he was going to mention my hair. "You're barely wearing clothes! I'm pretty sure if we'd let you walk we'd just have to come save you again."

I flushed. "I work at a bar. Plus, I was wearing more earlier, but…" I trailed off. Those memories were a little too fresh. I could still smell the blood.

"Took it off so Prince Sasuke would notice you more?" He teased.

"No, _took it off_ to absorb the blood from a gunshot wound." I continued to walk, a little lost in thought when I realized Kotetsu wasn't beside me anymore. I panicked a little and looked around, only to find out that he'd stopped dead in his tracks and was staring at me open-mouthed. "What?" I asked, suddenly self-conscious.

"That's pretty badass."

I laughed once. "Thanks." We got into the large, black SUV with tinted windows on all sides. I directed him towards my dorm. We chatted for the short ride and he let me off as close to the front door as he could get. He offered to walk me inside but I declined. I'd already had my quota of unwanted attention tonight and walking around with an older man wearing a suit with a gun-bulge underneath the jacket would raise so many questions.

"Thank you for driving me, and please tell Prince Sasuke thank you for me. I don't think I could have survived the night if it hadn't been for him."

"Will do. Be safe."

The next night, after Tayuya had gone on her Prince Sasuke-hunt, I turned on her television to watch the ceremony. Normally I didn't watch TV, especially since Tayuya didn't allow me to touch hers, but I figured this was a special occasion. I felt a little silly and fangirl-ish for thinking the Prince and I were friends. We would probably never see each other again, but I finally had pleasant thoughts of joking in Morse code and feeling protected to occupy my time, and that in and of itself was a nice feeling.

He was in his country's full military uniform when he was called onstage, and I had to admit it complemented him well. It was navy blue with hints of red, complete with a ceremonial sword around his waist. I watched Orochimaru pin two medals onto the chest of the Prince's uniform. He had said what they were, but it had been hard to hear anything since the girl's screams were so loud. Prince Sasuke then turned to the podium, waited patiently for silence, and then gave a speech that had _me _inspired. It had been on the short side, but the eloquent words were nothing short of perfect.

When the Prince shook Orochimaru's hand again, I smiled as I noticed the Prince's grip was a little tight and he was looking at the Otokage in a way that was less than friendly. I had no doubt that he would be glaring if he wasn't so mindful about being on international television.

That night, I lay in bed awake and prayed a short prayer.

_Please help me get into the Konoha School of Medicine_.

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**Author's Notes:** I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that wasn't what you were expecting, but I hope you all liked it all the same. As always, please review and let me know what you think!


	3. Godmother

**Author's Notes: **Wow! You all are awesome! Thank you all so much for the wonderful feedback. Some of you wondered why things happened the way they did (like Sasuke walking in an alley at night and whatnot) but I promise it will all be explained later. And never apologize for a long review. I love those! Anywho, to the next chapter!

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Title: Love and in War

Rating: T (or PG-13)

Summary: [SasuSaku] The first time I met Prince Sasuke was the night he saved my life. I never thought I would see him again, and I certainly never expected to fall in love with him.

Pairings: SasuSaku

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 3: Godmother

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I stood for a moment with my diploma in my hand, relishing the moment. I had finally done it. I was graduating college and I had done it in only three years.

True, the only reason I'd taken classes in the summer was because I could live on-campus, which was cheaper than any apartment I would have found. It had been difficult, more so than words can describe. The long nights of studying, the mind-numbing lab reports and essays…but right now it seemed worth it, because I had a diploma in my hand. Even though I hated this place, I couldn't stop the smile on my face when they announced "Haruno Sakura, Summa Cum Laude."

When I got back to my dorm room, prepared to start packing up everything to move into the dorms attached to the medical school, I found that a card had been slipped under my door. I opened the small envelope with my name on it to find a card with _Congratulations!_ and a graduation cap on it. I didn't know who it could be from. I didn't really have friends here, and I couldn't think of anyone who would want to send me a card. I opened it and found that it was from one of my professors, and the signature at the bottom suddenly made sense.

_Congratulations, Sakura! _It read. _Please come to my office ASAP_.

I thought that was a little strange, but I spun on my heel and headed out of the building again and towards the Chemistry building. I feel bad for forgetting about her, considering Professor Shizune had been my mentor here for the last year. She was a visiting lecturer, and I had always hung onto her every word, especially when I found out she was an apprentice of Tsunade. I had hoped that she would stay here and teach at Oto's medical college, but she was fully planning on returning to Konoha when her time teaching was finished. It made sense, I suppose. Why would she want to stay here when she could go anywhere else?

I don't think she knew I existed until I went to her office hours to ask her a question. That was pretty common, but I think what surprised her was that I actually read the textbook and was curious about if a surgical procedure could be used to treat a particular disease and had it ever been tried? It was then that she started talking with me and mentoring me. She was especially helpful in Chemistry, looking at my reports in depth and suggesting alterations that would help me in the future. Professor Shizune also was lenient with due dates, which I appreciated because of my Biology classes and those particular lab reports. At the end of my second year, I decided to double major and add Chemistry to my Biology major. It had been difficult, but I'm glad I did it now because I was able to understand the concepts so much better.

I knocked on her office door, turning the knob when I heard a "Come in!"

It was slightly depressing that all I could see was cardboard. All of her medical books had been packed up and put into boxes, and the homey touches she'd added to her office had been taken off the walls. It felt cold and bare. I was really going to miss her library though. I had learned so much from her books. I would come into her office and sit on her couch reading book after book. I smiled when I thought of the time that she'd pulled a textbook out of my hand and had given me a romance novel, telling me it was unnatural for a teenage girl to sit around on a Friday night reading books on brain anatomy.

"You're here." She looked at my outfit in amusement. "You know you could have changed first."

I looked down at my black graduation gown. I hadn't even realized I'd kept it on until now. Besides, I found that I didn't mind wearing it, considering my achievements were proudly displayed. I wore a purple V-stole that marked me as an honors student, a white sash around my neck that told my Summa Cum Laude status, a green cord for my Biology major and a light blue cord for my Chemistry major, and three medals for academic merit. Right now, I wanted to walk _everywhere_ in this outfit.

"Your note sounded urgent." She nodded and sat down in her desk chair. I sat down in one of the university-provided chairs, which she had made a point of getting rid of but they had to be brought back in now. "I'm sorry that you're leaving. I hope I can get through medical school without you." I said, smiling a bit.

Her face was serious. "How would you like to come with me?"

My mouth dropped open and I stared at her. This…it had to be some cruel joke. I told her that there was no way I could move to Konoha, I didn't have the funds for it. Even if I did I would have to give up my dream of being a doctor, which wasn't about to happen any time soon. She must have seen the look of disbelief and hurt written across my face because she was quick to explain.

"As you know, I was apprenticed under Tsunade, her first apprentice and she hasn't taken one since. No one has been up to par with her standards. A few weeks ago, I wrote her about you and she said she would be very interested in taking you under her wing."

My head started to feel funny, and it was only because of that that I realized I'd stopped breathing. An apprenticeship under Tsunade? _The_ Tsunade? This was a dream come true! I could go to the Konoha School of Medicine and…oh, wait. There lies the problem.

"Professor, thank you. This is an incredible opportunity, but there is no way that I could afford…"

She held up her hand. "First off, you can call me Shizune now since I'm not your professor anymore. Secondly, the apprenticeship comes with a scholarship that awards you twenty thousand dollars per semester to pay for school. It also pays for the cost of housing, so you won't need to worry about that. Tsunade also requires you to work at the hospital, which is like a part-time job so you will get paid extra for that."

I was floored…so much so that I had trouble stringing together my next sentence. "Prof…I mean, Shizune. Why is…I mean this is…twenty thousand dollars…that's more than half." It was _way_ more than half. It was most of it. KSM was fifty thousand per year, so did that mean if I could pay five thousand a semester…I could go?

"Tsunade is the best, and she only wants to train the best. Yes, it is a _very_ generous offer because she wants to make sure her students have nothing to worry about except learning from her."

"Why…me?"

She smiled. "Because the first day you walked in here you asked me if anyone ever tried enlarging the small intestines somehow to treat Crohn's disease. Most people just go through the motions of college and study just to pass the tests. You really thought about it and suggested an alternative, and Tsunade likes that. Not only that, she took what you said to heart and developed a surgery that enlarged the small intestines, and it worked as an effective method for treating the symptoms of the disease."

Okay, now I really couldn't breathe. "It…_worked_?" I gasped out.

She nodded. "So you can see why she's very interested in having you as an apprentice. She also wants to meet with you as soon as possible to make sure that you're really the right person for the job." She looked at me. "So, what do you say?"

I felt tears of joy in my eyes. "Yes." I said, feeling my heart swell. "Absolutely yes. Thank you so much."

"There's a plane leaving for Konoha tomorrow night. Can you be ready by then?" I nodded vigorously. I would be ready in an hour if she asked it of me. She handed me an envelope. "Good. In there is a plane ticket and a room key for an apartment in Konoha. Unfortunately I won't be leaving for another few days, but I'll see you when I get there."

She explained a few more things to me, and then let me go so I could start packing all of my things. I got back to my dorm with my heart pounding, feeling happier than I'd felt in _years_. This was really happening! I was going to Konoha, _and_ I was going to be studying under Tsunade! The tears that I had been holding back finally came loose, and I was glad that my roommate had left a few days earlier. I was finally going to leave this place!

I did wish I could go to my parent's graves so I could say goodbye, but I'm sure they would understand if I didn't. They hadn't been fans of Rice Fields either, but we'd always been too poor to move. I imagined that they were looking down at me from the afterlife and were thrilled that I was finally going to leave and pursue my dream.

I packed quickly, barely sleeping that night because of all the excitement. Shizune was arranging a moving company to pick up most of her things and drive them to Konoha, and she said that I could pack my things along with hers if I didn't mind waiting a few days for them. I had agreed. I could live out of a suitcase for a few days if it meant saving a few hundred dollars on moving my stuff. The next day, I worked to finish packing my things and labeling the cardboard boxes. I listened to happy music and practically danced around my dorm room, already feeling the clutches of Otogakure slipping away from me. It was a good feeling.

The moving company arrived at six and it only took them an hour to get everything into the moving truck. I saw that Shizune's things had already been packed inside and had been pushed back to make room for my things. They needn't have worried about space, though. I had three large boxes of clothes, linens, and towels and three smaller boxes of personal items. I hadn't kept many personal things, only the few items that I'd inherited from my parents after they died. Everything else we'd owned had been sold along with our house. The things that I'd kept I couldn't bear to part with.

I rolled my suitcase out into the hall when it was time to say goodbye to my room and gave one last look around the tiny space. I suppose I was too sentimental for my own good, because it always hurt a little when I looked at the room I was moving away from. I didn't really like it, but nevertheless it had been my home for the past year. I took a cab to the airport, choosing to carry on my suitcase rather than check it. It wasn't that big, and even though I'd never been on a plane, I'm sure it would fit in the overhead compartment.

The plane left at midnight. The logical part of my brain told me to sleep while I could, considering tomorrow was going to be a busy day. No matter how much I tried though, my eyes stayed wide open and glued out of the window, watching the flickering lights of cities as we flew over them. At 3 AM, the stewardess came and gave me some tea, noticing that I was awake while pretty much all of the passengers were asleep. I asked her if we were in Fire Country yet.

"Yes, we are." She said. "We crossed the border about an hour ago."

I looked out at the dark scenery, suddenly wishing I could see the landscape. I asked her what Konoha was like, and she told me a little bit about it after sneaking me vanilla ice cream with some sort of mango/cinnamon sauce from first class. She sat down in the empty seat next to me and I asked her lots of questions before a crying baby demanded her attention.

The plane landed at six and it was still dark out. Since the University of Konoha wasn't close to the airport, my apartment probably wasn't either. I decided to have a cab take me into the city and then walk from there. I bought a map from the souvenir shop inside the airport and stepped into the open air just in time to see the sunrise.

Even the air smelled different here. It smelled so clean and crisp, like morning dew. No city could beat the crisp air of the country, but this sure came close.

While in the cab, my face was stuck to the window, taking in all the sights of the place I'd longed to visit for forever. I had to repress my giggle when I thought of the fact that I wasn't just visiting; I was going to be _living_ here! The cab driver looked at me a bit funny, and I asked him if he could please drop me by a good restaurant so I could get some breakfast. Half an hour later, he stopped next to a small little café and told me to get one of their iced coffees and a cinnamon roll, since apparently they had the best cinnamon rolls in town. I thanked him and paid him, walking into the small café and ordering like he suggested.

The cinnamon roll was the size of my fist, and I decided to eat it outside in the cool morning air. Not many people were awake this early, and it was odd to hear a city so quiet, but it was so peaceful. I pulled out a map and placed it on the café's table to look for the street where my new apartment building was. I eventually found where I was, but I couldn't find Fire Leaf Street anywhere on the map. I was starting to get a little frustrated, because that meant I was nowhere close and I'd probably have to take another taxi. That was a shame, because I'd really wanted to walk around and take in some of the sights.

I felt a cold nose touch my elbow and I jumped, putting my hand to my heart in surprise. There, staring at me, tongue lolling out of its mouth, was a large white dog. Its tail was wagging and it sat down next to my chair, letting out a small _yip_ that I didn't know that could come out of a dog that size. I've never seen a bigger dog before in my life. I'm pretty sure if I was standing its head would come up to at least my hip. I let him—definitely a him, I noticed—smell my hand as a greeting and he licked the cinnamon and sauce off of my fingers. I petted his head and felt around his neck for a collar. I found one and the nametag attached to it, seeing a name and a phone number.

"Akamaru, huh?" I asked, and he barked at the sound of his name. "I think you're lost same as me." I rubbed his ears and looked around for a pay phone I could use to call the number on his tag. I suppose I could use a phone inside the café, but I would be worried about Akamaru running off again while I was inside. "I don't suppose you know your own way home, do you?" He didn't answer, but he did put his muzzle in my lap and looked up at me with the cutest expression. I caved and gave him the last little chunk of my cinnamon roll. "You don't know where Fire Leaf Street is, I guess." I started talking to him. "I should have bought the more expensive map. I'm pretty sure this one doesn't include all the roads."

"Akamaru!" I looked up to see a brown haired man running towards us. He was wearing jogging clothes and he was out of breath. "There you are! Don't run so fast next time, it's hard keeping up with you!" Akamaru ran towards him barking and circled his master. I thought that was the end of that, but then I was surprised when the dog came back to me and lifted my hand with his head, demanding to be petted.

The man walked towards me with his hands behind his head and a sheepish smile on his face. "Sorry about that. I hope he wasn't bothering you."

"Not at all." I said. "He was helping me with directions."

The man laughed and sat down across from me. "I can't really say he's any good with those. He knows how to get home but that's about it. But can _I _help you find anything?"

"Actually…um, Fire Leaf Street? I've been looking at this map for awhile and either I'm blind or it's not on here."

He looked at the map upside down and eventually pointed at a road that was a little more to the left of where I had been looking. It was a long road, and it joined a road that ran almost through the center of the city. "It's neither of those. Don't worry, people can never find that street on a map. For some reason it's always labeled "F.L. Street" even though the road is plenty long enough to fit the name on." He laughed when I rolled my eyes. "Are you looking for any specific building, or just the street name?"

"A building. Um…" I pulled out the envelope Shizune had given me with the address on it. "713 Fire Leaf Street. Hidden Leaves Apartments."

He looked a little surprised, but he was still smiling. "I know where it is, in fact I've got a friend that lives there. I can walk you there, if you'd like."

"I…I don't want to put you out of your way…"

"Nonsense." He said, standing up and picking up my suitcase for me. "It's the least I can do since you kept Akamaru out of trouble." I nodded in thanks and threw my trash away. I was tempted to toss the stupid map, but I was definitely going to need it later so I folded it up and put it in my purse.

"I'm Inuzuka Kiba, by the way, and you've already met Akamaru." He introduced himself as we started walking, and Akamaru barked.

"I'm Haruno Sakura." I said.

"So are you here on vacation?"

"Actually, I'm moving here."

He raised an eyebrow at me, and his expression clearly said he was amused. "You're moving here and you've never been to your new home?"

I wanted to protest a little, but it was a perfectly reasonable thing to ask. It _was_ a little ridiculous that I couldn't even find my new apartment. "I only found out two days ago. It was…quite a surprise."

"Your parents spring it on you?"

"No, I got a surprise scholarship to go to grad school at the Konoha School of Medicine."

His eyebrows shot up into his hairline. "Damn." He said, and my heart fluttered when I realized he was impressed. Not many people in my life had ever been impressed because of something I'd done. He looked a little guilty then. "Sorry for the language, it's just…I've heard KSM is pretty tough to get into, not to mention virtually impossible to get a scholarship for. You must be crazy smart."

I smiled. "I suppose I must be."

"Modest, too." He teased.

I laughed. "Sorry. I just graduated two days ago and my ego hasn't deflated yet."

"Where'd you graduate from?"

"Otogakure University."

"Ah." He said, and there was a _look_ on his face.

"Yeah," I agreed. "I didn't much care for it either."

"Then why'd you go?"

I shrugged. "No other options." I felt this conversation turning a little mopey, so I decided it was time I asked him a few questions. "What about you? Are you still in school? Working?" I looked at his jogging clothes. "Training for a marathon?"

He laughed. "I graduated from the Konoha School of Defense a year ago, and now I work for the military in Special Forces."

This time, it was my turn to be impressed. "Wow. No wonder you want to stay in shape."

He nodded. "Akamaru's in the military too. He and I are in the Combat Tracking division."

"But he's…such a nice dog…"

"Don't be fooled. If he thought you were a threat he would have bitten your hand off." I looked at the dog warily. "As it is, you probably smell too much like cinnamon rolls to be a threat." I giggled and pet Akamaru's head. He had been walking quietly beside us, not making any noise at all. I was surprised how well trained he was, considering he wasn't running off and yet he wasn't wearing a leash.

"Here it is." Kiba announced about ten minutes after we'd started walking. I looked up and saw a crisp white building with a vibrant red roof. It was a pretty building and I was surprised. I had guessed that any housing that they were providing me free of charge would be a dump. This looked like it usually cost a pretty penny.

I was still getting used to how colorful Konoha was. The buildings were painted and if they weren't then the roofs were some color. It was a bit of a color-shock since Otogakure had been nothing but gray and white brick buildings. The sign out front had silver lettering in a fancy font. It was going to take some time to get used to this. I couldn't wait to see my room.

"Thank you for walking me here." I said to Kiba. "I'm sorry if I put you too much out of your way."

"Don't worry about it, Sakura." I was surprised he remembered my name. It had been a common occurrence for me to tell people my name and them forget it a few minutes later despite my hair color. "If I'm late to work I'll just tell my boss I lost track of time jogging. Besides, I would be a horrible person if I didn't assist a damsel in distress."

I laughed, deciding not to tell him that I'd shot a man three times and nearly killed him. "Well thank you. If there is anything I can do for you, please let me know."

"If you see a girl named Hyuuga Hinata in there, tell her I say hello." He put my suitcase down.

"I will. Thank you again." I said goodbye to Akamaru, and Kiba and I turned our separate ways. I walked into the lobby and looked around. The floors were clean and polished, there was a small lounge with a television off to my right. The lobby was two stories and very elegant. There was even a chandelier!

I rolled my suitcase to the elevator and hopped in with a little squeal, hitting the button for the tenth floor. I was in apartment 1015. The elevator was taking forever, and I was starting to get even more excited as I slowly rose to my floor. Would I have a roommate? How many rooms were there? What was it going to look like on the inside?

When the elevator hit the tenth floor, I nearly pried the elevator doors open in my haste. If I did have roommates, would they like me? I hadn't exactly gotten along with my roommates at OU. I hoped they were like Kiba. I could get along with a roommate like that.

My hands shook a little with nerves as I fetched my key from the envelope and put it into the lock. Excitedly, I opened the door and if it hadn't been the fact that I knew that I had the right key, I would have been sure I'd walked into the wrong room. This was…it was gorgeous. I took off my shoes, and walked further into the living space to get a good view. The kitchen was to the right of the entrance, with dark wooden cabinets and stainless steel appliances. The countertops were black granite and I had to run my fingertips over them. In the same room straight ahead was the eating and living space. A rectangular table was pressed against the wall to allow for more space, but it had enough chairs to seat four people. The living space had a chocolate colored couch and loveseat, with an emerald green afghan spread across the loveseat. The glass coffee table sat in front of a wooden entertainment unit that had been built into the wall. That housed a flat screen television.

Next to the living/dining space and on the opposite wall of the entrance was a wall full of floor-to-ceiling windows. There were glass doors that led to a balcony overlooking the city. To the left of this wall was a little hallway, and I noticed another hallway next to the entertainment unit. I realized now that I had no idea what to do next.

"Hello?" I called out, waiting for a reply. When I looked around again, I saw an envelope sitting on the kitchen counter that I'd missed in my earlier awe. It had my name in a neat script on the front, so I opened it and unfolded the letter inside.

_Hey new roomie!_

_Sorry we can't be here to treat you properly, we all have to go to work. We hope that you like our humble abode! Your room is in the hallway next to the balcony, the first door on the right. We'll be home by tonight, and we're going to make you a special dinner to welcome you, so don't make plans!_

_See you tonight, _

Ino, Tenten, and Hinata

I smiled. They seem nice enough, I can't wait to meet them in person. I took the letter and followed the directions to my room, opening the door and feeling another wave of awe wash over me. This was my _room_? I looked around and noticed there was only one bed, which floored me again. I had a room to myself? I was expecting a roommate because it's free housing and that's what you _do_, but this? This was incredible.

It was L shaped, with a bed that looked too large to be a twin and too small to be a full size in the far corner. A nightstand stood next to it, and next to the nightstand on the wall were two rather large windows that were currently covered with blinds. There was a dresser against the wall to my left, along with another door. I turned the corner and saw a white built in desk that took up all of the far wall. On either side of where a desk chair was neatly tucked into the unit were cabinets, and there were also hanging cabinets for extra storage space. Someone had put flowers in a vase on my desk with a little note that read _Hope you like your new room!_

I decided to investigate the other door, expecting it to be a closet but finding it to be a small bathroom instead. My jaw fell to the floor in disbelief. I never expected any of this! I tried pinching myself, but I didn't wake up, so I let out a large squeal of excitement. Suddenly I wished I had brought some of my things with me to make this room more my own, but I would have to leave it bare for now. Of course, I didn't even have time to decorate my room right now, considering I needed to go meet with Tsunade today.

I put on a black pencil skirt and a red cheongsam style top with a white band running along the seams. I tried to fix my hair, but eventually gave up and just tried to make it look as nice as possible. I put a pair of cubic zirconium studs in my ear and grabbed a sensible pair of black flats to wear. I put on a little mascara and looked at myself in the mirror, mentally telling myself to be confident. I grabbed my purse on the way out the door, almost forgetting to put my new key in as well as the directions to Tsunade's office.

The address I was given was in the University's hospital, and I found it easily enough considering it was clearly marked on my map. They were proud of it, which makes sense why they would make it easy to find. It was almost noon, and the day had gotten significantly hotter. That was one thing I was going to have to get used to. Oto was to the North of here and naturally had cooler climates, Konoha's summers were going to be scorching, but I highly suspected that their winters would be far more pleasant than those in Rice Fields.

Tsunade's office was on the sixth floor in the West wing of the hospital. I was surprised that the hospital wasn't taller—six was as high as you could go—instead it was a sprawling building next to the University. From the time it took me to get in the front door, it took me a little less than ten minutes to walk to her office, and that was including the elevator ride.

Upon entering double doors, there was a secretary who I suspected managed several doctors, considering behind her there was a long hallway of doors with nameplates on them. I walked up to her and cleared my throat.

"I'm here to see Tsunade." I said, not really knowing if I should add an honorific or a title to that. I've never heard her called anything else.

"Name?"

"Haruno Sakura."

The woman nodded and gave me a smile. "I'll tell her you're here. If you will please wait in one of the chairs and I'll tell you when she's ready for you."

I nodded, sitting down and feeling nervous. It hadn't been until now that meeting my long-term idol was a real possibility. Even an hour ago the thought seemed like a far-away dream. Now though, as the secretary was telling her that I was waiting, and she knew I was here…now everything that had been a dream was becoming reality too quickly for my mind to catch up. I swallowed. What if she didn't like me? Or thought I was unqualified? Could she send me back to Otogakure, just like that? If this interview went bad…

It was only a few minutes of waiting, but my mind was in tatters when the secretary stood up. "Miss Haruno?" I looked at her and wondered if I looked as frazzled as I felt. "Tsunade will see you now."

She guided me down the hall to the furthest office, and knocked a few times. There was a voice from inside telling us to enter, and the secretary opened the door for me. She shut it again when I was fully inside, and I felt like I had been thrown into the proverbial lion's den.

She had a nice office, it was nice and bright with lots of windows, but I didn't dare look around. My only focus at this point was Tsunade sitting at her desk, her arms resting on her elbows and her hands clasped in front of her face. Her eyes pinned me with a scrutinizing stare. I slowly took a deep breath.

"Sit." She said. Her tone hadn't been rude, but she sounded like she wanted to get down to business. I sat down, careful not to look away from her for any length of time.

"Haruno Sakura, is it?"

"Yes ma'am."

"So you think you're ready to be my apprentice?" She looked me over. "Your grades are good, I'll give you that, but look at you. You're malnourished, unhealthily skinny, I'm guessing you haven't slept well in days, and you expect me to believe that you're ready to take care of patients when you can't even take care of yourself?" She laughed once. I was frozen in horror. "You're a good candidate for med school, but you lack qualities that I would like to see in any apprentice of mine. I'll make sure that you have the earliest plane ticket back to Otogakure. It's best not to get attached. The med school there is pretty decent, so I'm sure you will do just fine. Now, I have work to do, Miss Haruno," She looked at me over her folded hands. "Get out."

It was hard to believe that with a few quick glances she could see everything in me that she didn't care for. My own idol had shot me down without me saying more than two words to her. That was traumatizing as it was. It was when she mentioned returning me to Oto that I really felt myself snap. I had not worked so hard to be shot down this easily.

The thought of leaving this place was enough to make me forget how intimidated I felt. My hands clenched the armrests of the chair. I had come too far to be denied, and I most certainly wasn't going down without a fight. I raised my chin in what may have been confidence or veiled stupidity, I couldn't decide.

I looked at the blonde haired woman dead on and said, "No."

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**Author's Notes: **Well, at least Sakura hasn't lost her backbone. And to give credit where credit is due, you can really treat the symptoms of Crohn's disease by sewing together two loops of the small intestines. This was a technique developed by Dr. Fabrizio Michelassi. So no, Sakura didn't develop that, but I had to give her some sort of wow factor so that Tsunade would want to see her. You all wouldn't believe how much research I've had to do for this story. Seriously, I feel smarter. Hope you all liked the chapter! As always, review and let me know what you think!


	4. World Full of Wonders

**Author's Notes: **Thank you for all the feedback you guys! I'm updating a little bit later than usual because I've been on vacation. I'll try to post the next chapter quickly, but patience is a virtue!

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Title: Love and in War

Rating: T (or PG-13)

Summary: The first time I met Prince Sasuke was the night he saved my life. I never thought I would see him again, and I certainly never expected to fall in love with him.

Pairings: SasuSaku

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 4: World Full of Wonders

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Tsunade raised an eyebrow at my statement, looking half amused and half annoyed. "Excuse me?"

"I have worked too hard for you to shoot me down that easily. Being a doctor has been my dream from day one. I'm malnourished because I double majored in two of the most difficult fields as an undergrad, but despite that I still graduated with the highest honors. You can't tell a person's passion through their grades, and if you sent me back to Oto now it would be a waste of my passion for medicine. I haven't slept because I've been too excited about moving here and meeting you." I paused for breath. "Shizune told me you only train the best, well I only want to learn from the best and the best is _you_. I'm sure there are other qualified people out there but I promise you they won't be as dedicated as I am or as determined. If you don't see me as a good candidate, fine, but I _will_ become a doctor either way."

Tsunade looked at me for a second and lowered her hands onto her desk. "Why do you want to be a doctor?"

"My mother died of an incurable disease when I was thirteen."

"And you think you can cure this disease?"

"It already has a cure, but that was found three years too late. I want to become a doctor so that no child ever has to feel the way I felt watching a parent die as their body slowly destroys itself from the inside."

"I see…" Tsunade said. "Okay then, if you're really that confident in your knowledge then tell me something about myself." She looked more than a little cocky.

"You were drinking heavily last night." I told her, finally realizing what had been bothering me. I saw her eyes widen for a split second before returning to normal, and I knew I hit the nail on the head.

"What makes you say that?"

"Your skin is pale and has a gray tint to it, and your hands are dry. It's summer and there is plenty of moisture in the air, so I'm guessing it's because you're dehydrated."

She smiled. "Very good. I was out drinking, but that was a big risk you took, you know. You could have just accused me of being an alcoholic."

I shrugged. "I saw the symptoms. Sure it could have been lots of other things, but your expression changed for a split second after I guessed, so I knew I was right. Plus, there is a rather large bottle of aspirin behind you."

She was still smiling. "Well I'm sorry I ever doubted you now, but I had to make sure you passed my test. You're the only one since Shizune who hasn't run out of the room crying. Let's start over." She reached across the table to shake my hand. "I'm Tsunade, and I look forward to teaching you."

"Haruno Sakura, and I look forward to learning from you." I took a deep breath and realized that it was all going to be all right.

Tsunade gave me a tour around the hospital, making sure to point out areas that would be relevant to me. She took me to the security offices where I got my picture made and my hand scanned, and while they were making me a hospital ID card she took me down to the first floor where the hospital's clinic was. She told me that for a while I would be working at the reception desk until she felt that I was ready to take on bigger responsibilities. This was also a precautionary move, she said. While I already had a pretty high status as her apprentice, I hadn't really had any formal medical training. Working at the reception desk would give me an idea of how things were run and would allow the nurses to have a chance to get used to me being around.

While in the clinic, I got a booster of all of my immunization shots. I wasn't squeamish of needles for some odd reason, so this didn't bother me much, but by the time the nurse got to mumps I was a little tired of having my arm pricked.

After that, she took me down the hall and showed me the nurses' lounge, which I was welcome to use, and also a room full of desks. She took me to an empty one that was opposite someone else's desk and said, "This is yours."

I stared at the desk that seemed too large. "I have a desk?"

"You won't always be at the reception desk. This will come in handy when you start having real work to do." I nodded dumbly. "This room and the lounge are restricted areas, but you can get in both by pressing your ID card here." She showed me a small black device outside the door. "Since you're my apprentice, your ID will let you into most areas of the building, but it's not a good idea to go wandering into unknown areas by yourself."

"I understand."

We walked back to the security offices and retrieved my card. It was white and vertically oriented with my picture on the front, my name in large, easy to read letters beneath it. Beneath that, _Medical Student _was highlighted with a strip of blue, and a magnetic strip and my hospital ID number were at the bottom. At the very top was the logo of the medical school in blue—the familiar snake and staff—and to the right it read _Konoha School of Medicine_ in green. My name had been typed in green as well.

It was going to take awhile for me to get used to how colorful these people were.

I turned the card around and saw what I expected to see. The hospital had color codes to designate emergencies and on the back of my card was the chart that explained what the colors meant and what to do in case one of those emergencies happened.

"I know you only arrived here this morning, so I'll give you the rest of the week to settle in before starting you off. Make sure to go get some scrubs and comfortable shoes, and I'll see you in my office Monday at 9 AM, sound good?" I nodded. I can't wait for Monday! "Good. In the meantime, here are the hospital's main rules and regulations. Just read over them by Monday."

"Sure."

She smiled. "I'll see you then."

I left, and went in the direction of the mall. Tsunade told me there was a uniform store in there and they had a lot of decent scrubs. It made sense that they would have a store dedicated to that sort of thing, since every medical student needed scrubs. Back in Oto I would have had to scrounge around some failing department store looking for things that could pass as scrubs.

The mall was big and colorful and a little intimidating. I walked in nervously, looking at the directory and noticing several people do double-takes at my hair. Needless to say I walked quickly to where I was supposed to go. They had other things that weren't for people in the medical profession, but I made my way to the large corner where there were all types of scrubs. I picked out a red fitted top with white lining—noticing with amusement that it almost matched the shirt I was wearing now—and was relieved to notice the price included the matching pants. I liked the style so much that I got a dark green set with white lining as well. Next came a set that was grass green with pink swirls, and oh! that one is cute!

I walked away with five sets (I'd added a light blue patterned set and a white and pink set devoted to breast cancer awareness) and two pairs of shoes. The shoes were the hardest, and I ended up going to an actual shoe store to find some slim athletic sneakers that were comfortable and weren't as ugly as nursing shoes. I bought a pair in white and because they were running a buy one get one half off sale, I got a pair in black, too.

It took me twice as long to get back to my new apartment since I got turned around once and had to get out the map. I was relieved when I was riding the elevator up, and I was impressed that I actually remembered what number it was without having to look. As I was opening the door, the most wonderful smells hit me full in the face. I was disoriented for a minute, wondering why the lights were on, and looking to see that one person was sitting at the kitchen counter on a barstool while two were cooking. I blinked at them for a moment, a little unsure of what to do, before the blonde one smiled at me.

"Hi! You must be Sakura! Come in, come in!" I stepped inside, putting my bags down by the front door and taking my shoes off. "I'm Yamanaka Ino, this is Tenten and Hyuuga Hinata."

"It's nice to meet you all." I looked at Hinata and her white irises especially. Could she and Neji be related? I'm not sure how common of a surname _Hyuuga_ is, and for all I know there are lots of people in Konoha with white irises. I decided to ask her once I knew her a little better. If I mentioned it now, it would lead to _How did you meet Neji? _which would cause me to say _He took a bullet for me and Prince Sasuke in Oto_. That probably wouldn't be the best first impression. But I did remember a lighter subject, and I knew now why her name sounded familiar. "I met a guy earlier, Kiba. He said he knew you and wanted me to tell you hi." I smiled at her. "Small world, isn't it?"

"Yes, we had lunch together today. He told me a little about you, too." She had a quieter voice than I expected, and she seemed like such a sweet girl. I hadn't really talked to Neji at all, but he seemed like a much different person than her. Could they really be related? Probably not, I guessed. It was probably just a coincidence.

"Nothing bad, I hope?"

She shook her head. "He said you got a scholarship to KSM, that's pretty impressive. Is that where you were today?"

As she was talking, Ino had motioned for me to sit down at the barstool next to Tenten. "Actually, I was meeting with my mentor." I watched as Hinata and Ino bustled around the kitchen while I wasn't doing a thing. "Is there anything I can do to help?" I asked. Being lazy was a horrible first impression.

"Don't be silly!" Ino said, waving a wooden spoon in my direction. "It's your first day, so your only job is telling us about yourself and getting settled in. Now, you were talking about your mentor? Who is it?"

"Tsunade."

Tenten choked beside me on her water, but other than the sound of something sizzling in a frying pan that was the only noise. I looked around at them, a little confused. "Did I…say something?" It would be just my luck to say something to get my new roommates upset. Did they think I was showing off or something? Did one of them try for the apprenticeship and not get it?

"It's just…" Tenten started. "Hinata told us about the scholarship but…that's really impressive, Sakura."

"Thank you." I said a little warily.

"Sorry we went all quiet like that." Ino said a little sheepishly. "It's just I'm surprised she's taken on another apprentice." Her eyes widened. "Not to say that you don't deserve it or you're not smart or anything, that's not what I meant…"

I smiled at her. "Don't worry about it. I was surprised too."

"So this will be your first year of medical school?" Tenten asked. I nodded. "Wow, I thought you were closer to our age, but I guess you're a little older than we are. How old are you, if you don't mind me asking."

"I don't mind. I'm twenty." I said a little proudly. I was aware that it was quite an achievement to graduate college a year ahead of schedule. However, my pride dropped when I saw them staring at me with disbelief. Great, I'd said something again…

"How is that possible?" Ino asked.

"Um, well for starters I skipped the seventh grade, and then in college I took summer courses so I could live in the dorms since they were cheaper. So, I ended up graduating in three years."

"I feel inferior already…"

"I'm…sorry…"

"Don't worry about Ino, she's just really dramatic." Tenten said.

"Yes, Sakura." Hinata said. "You should be proud, that's really quite the accomplishment."

Well I _had_ been proud until now.

"Do I even want to know what your major was?" Ino asked dryly. I shook my head in response. I already felt like I'd one-upped them, and telling them that I had double majored and graduated in three years would only grant me another round of awkward silence. "Fair enough. Hinata and I are twenty, and Tenten is twenty-one. She'll be graduating in a year."

"What's your major?" I asked.

"Metallurgical Engineering with a minor in Military Sciences."

"Wow. So what do you want to do as a career?"

"After I get a Master's Degree in Engineering, I'm going to work with the military to design weapons and weapon systems."

My eyebrows shot into my hairline. "Remind me not to tick you off anytime soon." She laughed at that, and I turned to my other two roommates. "What about you two?" I asked. "What are you studying?"

Ino spoke first, as I expected. I already knew that she had the most exuberant personality out of all of us. "I'm a Psychology major, and I also want to go into the military to work either in interrogation or as an enemy psychologist." I had a little bit of a hard time imagining the blonde before me viciously interrogating an enemy, but she looks like she could have quite a temper if someone or something provoked her enough. We started to move towards the table as Hinata gave us plates filled with pasta, herbed chicken, and vegetables.

"I'm double majoring in Biology and Psychology." Hinata said, sitting down at one end of the table. I assumed the rest of them sat in their usual spots, so I took the empty chair across from Hinata. "I'm also headed for the military, but I'll be doing mental health counseling for soldiers here." I nodded, since I could easily see her counseling someone.

"So Sakura here is the only one who isn't headed for the military." Ino said, twirling pasta around her fork. "You could, you know, they always need good doctors."

"Well…I'm sure it's different here, but I didn't really have good experiences with Rice Fields' military." True, the military was revered in Rice Fields due to their loyalty and steadfastness, but my father had written me quite a different story from the letters he sent me daily from training camp. The only reason the soldiers were so loyal was because they were scared to leave, and I only knew this because he had sense enough to write his letters in code, making me read between the lines to get his true meaning. If he hadn't done that, most of his letters would have been blacked out, since the military made sure to censor all letters leaving Fort Note.

"Rice Fields?" Someone asked. I had been too caught up in memories to recognize the voice.

"That's where I'm from." I held up a hand to stall their next line of questions. "And no, before you ask, I didn't like it there. Well I take that back, the country was all right, but Otogakure was one nightmare after the other."

"You lived in the country?"

I nodded at Tenten. "I was born and raised in the country, a town called Melody, and I lived there until I left to go to Otogakure University."

"So your parents are still in Melody?" The question had been harmless enough, but I couldn't stop my tiny wince. It still hurt a little bit when this line of questioning came up, even though it had been so many years since their deaths. I also didn't want the atmosphere to turn as gloomy as it was going to, especially not the first night I was here, but if I dodged the question it would only bring about more trouble.

"Actually, both of my parents have passed on."

The air turned gloomier than I had planned.

"Sorry." Someone said and I blinked.

"Don't be. Their deaths aren't your fault." Silence. "Sorry to ruin the happy mood."

"Sakura," Ino said. "We are your friends now, and as your friends we want to know everything about you, no matter how much it _ruins the mood_. Don't hesitate to tell us anything, okay?"

I smiled, feeling a lot better. "Okay."

It got a lot better after that, since the conversation switched from me to Konoha. They talked about all the things that were fun to do, and all the places they were going to take me. They were astonished that I hadn't ever been to a movie theater, and insisted that we would go see some new movie starring Fujikaze Yukie. I'd never heard of her, but they insisted she was a fabulous actress. After dinner, I helped clean the kitchen and went to go unpack the few things that I had brought with me.

Since it was so quiet in my room, I heard the television switch on in the living room. There was a short blurb of conversation before it switched, and then switched again. Whoever was watching television must have been flipping channels. Tayuya had done that a lot and it had gotten on my last nerves. Here, all I had to do was shut my bedroom door and I doubt I'd be able to hear it at all. I finished unpacking the things I brought, and I designated one of my dresser drawers for medical things, putting my scrubs and my shoes in there. I made my bed, thankful that I had remembered to get sheets on my way home. Luckily, the sales associate I'd requested help from knew what size "larger than a twin but smaller than a full" was.

Out of the blue, I heard a loud squeal from the living room. "Hey Sakura!" Ino called out to me. "Come here and let me show you the hottest man on earth!"

I slid my suitcase under my bed and padded into the living room, wondering who could possibly be _that_ attractive. I walked into the room and heard applause coming from the TV. It looked like Ino had switched it onto a news station, which surprised me because I never would have pegged her for a news station kind of girl. I sat down on the couch and saw it was some sort of military awards ceremony. I guess I should have known they would watch this kind of thing, but it was still a little odd for three young women to watch military awards. Although I didn't see Tenten anywhere, so maybe she wasn't interested. Hinata was working on something at the kitchen table but she was definitely looking now.

I must have gotten lost in my thoughts because I suddenly jumped when Ino squealed again. "There he is!"

On TV, the applause died down, and a voice spoke out. "Ladies, Gentlemen, Hokage-sama, thank you for coming out tonight."

I had been looking at Ino, since I was sure her antics were far more entertaining than the "hottest man on earth," but the familiar voice caused me to freeze. I slowly looked at the television and found Prince Sasuke standing alone at the podium in full military uniform.

It was really him. I…I didn't think I would ever see him again…not even on television. Sure I had thought about bumping into him while on the plane, but that was hardly a reality. Konoha was huge and meeting him again would be nothing short of a coincidence. There were people who lived here their whole lives and never got to see him in person. I should feel lucky that I'd gotten to meet him at all.

"Yes!" Ino said, excited. "That is the voice in my dreams!"

"You know he has a girlfriend, right?" Hinata said from the kitchen table.

I berated myself for the twinge of pain in my chest. _We will never meet again_. I told myself. Besides, we had only known each other for a few hours, and for some of that time I had been by myself in an interrogation room. It was silly for me to have a crush on him. Besides, he had a girlfriend now, and it wasn't like I could do much or cared enough to break them up. It's a silly little crush, and I'm only feeling these things now because it's the first time I'm seeing his face in a year, I told myself. It's not like I haven't thought about him before, anyway, and my memories didn't make me feel this way. Of course, I thought with a smile, my memories didn't quite do him justice.

"Ugh!" Ino threw up her hands in disgust. "One day he'll see how much of a tramp she is, break up with her, and then marry me! Our babies will be gorgeous!"

"And imaginary." I pointed out from my side of the couch, laughing.

Ino rounded on me, "Not you too, Forehead!"

I raised an eyebrow, trying not to show how much the _Forehead_ comment actually stung. I had been mercilessly teased about it when I was little, and I'd thought I'd actually grown into it…until _now_ that is. "That's the best insult you can come up with, Ino-pig?"

She gawked at me in outrage, and I heard laughing. Tenten had just come from the hallway next to the kitchen, where I assumed her room was, and she was holding her stomach. "She's got you pegged perfectly, Ino! On her first day!"

Ino _humphed_ and turned back to the TV. "Shut up, I'm trying to listen to _my husband_ talk."

I giggled, but nonetheless turned back to the Prince's speech.

"I have complete confidence in our military system, and I know that no matter what situations arise," He raised his head and looked directly into the camera. "Everything will be ok."

I admit it, I flushed _horribly_. My body locked up on the couch, and I was sure my face was going to be frozen in a state of shock forever. That look…I _knew_ that look.

"_It will be ok, right?"_

"_Aa. It will be."_

That look of utter reassurance that was crystal clear among otherwise hazy memories. I remembered the traumatic parts of that night with a sickening horror, but that _look_ was the one memory I looked back on fondly. I don't know how he did it, but even through the television his gaze penetrated mine, and for a moment I imagined he was here in this room talking to me. Had he been…talking to me? I mentally shook my head. What a stupid, stupid thought. I had only known the man for three hours max and I thought he was secretly trying to communicate with me. He didn't even know I was here in Konoha. To my knowledge he didn't even know my _name_, since I never told him. I never told anyone at the police station my name either, so there's no way they could have told it to him somehow.

"Uh oh." Tenten said. "I think Sakura's caught the bug."

They all looked at me and I flushed even harder. "Sorry…just caught up in memories."

Ino ignored me. "She can have the bug all she wants, but he's still mine."

"Keep dreaming, Ino." Tenten said.

"Keep laughing," Ino began dryly. "And I won't invite you to our wedding, when I will be crowned as Princess Uchiha Ino."

"Actually," I said absently, remembering something from the past. "You would be Princess Ino of the Konohagakure Uchiha Clan." Thankfully, no one asked how I knew the formal title of the Prince. Ino was too busy imagining her dream wedding, Tenten was remarking how Ino was going to write that title in all of her notebooks, and Hinata was smiling from her spot at the table. I laughed at Ino and Tenten's banter.

_I could get used to this_.

The next day, I was alone most of the day since they all had to work again. I reflected on how nice it was to be able to eat breakfast in my pajamas for a change, since I hadn't exactly been able to go to the cafeteria without a bra before. I tried flipping channels before realizing there was nothing that would interest me, so I decided to go out and explore a bit. I donned shorts and a yellow t-shirt, feeling quite happy today. It was still very early, but many people were out by now, probably on their way to work. Come to think of it, I never asked where my three roommates worked…

I walked around a little bit, but didn't really go anywhere. I didn't want to go back to the hospital so soon, and I wasn't interested in the museums or monuments, so I ended up on the shore of Konoha's lake skipping rocks. I wonder if Tsunade will give me some books to read.

I went back to the apartment and set up my wireless internet, going online to set up a hospital e-mail ID (harunosakura ) and then on to KSM's website to create an account there. Thankfully, they had already recognized me as a student for the upcoming fall semester. I made an account there and looked at my options for classes to take, feeling lost. Of course, they wouldn't let me register until after my orientation in a few weeks, but it would be nice knowing a definite set of classes to take. I wrote them down and stuck the list in my purse to ask Tsunade about it on Monday.

I browsed a news website, looking for anything interesting, but it seemed that Konoha was pretty much at peace. The only news articles were things like _Local Shop Owner Celebrates 101__st__ Birthday _or _Safety Tips for Your Summer Travel Plans_. I was about to close out of it when a headline caught my eye: _Royal Family visits Botanical Gardens for 81__st__ Anniversary_. I clicked on it and read the article, scrolling through the slideshow of pictures. The King and Queen looked very regal, but it looked like they were taking a day off even though they were technically at a social event. The Queen wore a gorgeous pink sundress with a white belt and white heels, and a short sleeve jacket so her shoulders would be covered. She still looked very formal, but that was as casual as the Queen was allowed to get, I guess. The King had her arm looped through his, and he wore black slacks and a light blue button down shirt. There was another picture of Prince Itachi with his fiancée Lady Amane. The next picture was of Prince Sasuke sitting on a bench, his legs crossed and his arm stretching over the back of the bench. I didn't know the redhead sitting next to him, but her eyes were as red as her hair and she was wearing a lavender sundress. The caption read: _Prince Sasuke sits with his girlfriend of two weeks, Lady Karin_.

She is…very beautiful. Her hair and her makeup done just right to give her features a soft look since her face was all high cheekbones and sharp angles that gave the impression of aristocracy. The photographer took the picture when she was laughing at something the Prince had obviously said, because she was looking at him in adoration while he was smirking. Even I had to admit they were a cute couple.

I closed out of that, not wanting to become like Ino and obsess over celebrities. I would never meet him again, so there was no point in dwelling on it.

I took my first real bath in three years and stepped out just in time to hear Hinata and Ino get home. I greeted them and helped Hinata make dumplings for dinner. It turns out Ino worked at her family's flower shop, and Hinata had a paid internship with a psychologist. Tenten worked at a weapon shop in the city.

On Saturday they took me to see _The Adventures of Princess Fuun_, my first movie in a movie theater. I had been absolutely enraptured by the story line and Fujikaze Yukie was a phenomenal actress (the story seemed so real to me, it was hard to imagine they were only acting!) but I preferred the actor who played Tsukuyaku. I think Ino told me his real name was Michi. Tenten preferred Brit, and we ended up playfully debating who was more attractive over lunch.

Monday came quickly, and I donned my green scrubs and clipped my ID to the bottom hem of my shirt. I was excited to begin, but the moment Tsunade dropped me off at the reception desk at the hospital's clinic my excitement vanished. The work was easy enough, but it was boring and not what I had expected it to be. I directed people to where they wanted to go, made them sign in so the doctor would know they were there, and took their methods of payment. There were long stretches of time when I didn't do anything at all except doodle on a sheet of paper that I had stolen from the printer.

Someone offered to watch the desk while I took a lunch break, and I readily agreed. Except before I ate my lunch, I went straight up to Tsunade's office on the sixth floor. The receptionist waved me back and told me that I could just go straight to Tsunade's office now instead of having to go through her.

"Sakura." Tsunade said. "This is a surprise. Are you on your lunch break?"

I nodded. "Would you mind if I borrowed a book to read?" I asked, looking longingly at the full bookshelves behind her.

"Go ahead. I promise it will get more interesting once you're out of the reception desk."

I was looking at the titles of the books, trying to decide what I was in the mood for. "I've had worse jobs." I said, thinking about _Hidden Sound_ and the constant ass-grabbing and drunken cat-calls directed my way. Even though I was bored out of my mind at the desk, at least I was fully clothed. I pulled out a medium-sized textbook. "I'll bring this back up to you after work. Also, I'd like to talk to you about my class schedule, if you don't mind."

"Of course not." She said, looking amused at the book in my hands. There had been a few fiction novels in the bookshelf, but I had picked up _An Atlas of Human Anatomy_ instead. I figured it would probably get on my nerves to be working in a hospital and not _feel_ like a medical professional, so I was going to get as technical as I could.

I rushed down to the gift shop and bought a spiral notebook to take notes in. I inhaled the sandwich I'd brought for lunch and then returned to the desk fifteen minutes before my break was over. The woman looked at me strangely, but let me back at my post. I opened to the first page and started reading, taking notes furiously with a blue pen, highlighting key terms in my notes. This way, the rest of the day passed quickly and someone had to tell me it was time for me to leave. I grinned in a sheepish apology, gathered my things, and made my way up to Tsunade's office. I returned her book and gave her my list of classes. I was surprised when she rolled her eyes.

"I hate all this prerequisite bullshit." She muttered. "I can get you out of _Introduction to Medical Professions_, it's pointless and pretty mind-numbing. Also, _Introduction to World Health and the Social Aspects of Medicine_, I hated that class and it has really nothing to do with anything. Not to mention they teach you basically the same thing (only better) in a class you'll be taking later on." She looked over the list again, humming in thought. "You can take the class if you want but I suspect you'll be able to test out of _The Human Body_ pretty easily."

"Really? You think so?"

She looked at me dryly. "Sakura, what is the process that forms the outer ankle?"

"Lateral malleolus." I answered automatically. "But why…" I blinked. "Oh…"

"I'll get you an old exam for the class. If you pass that, we'll look into testing you out of it, okay?" I nodded, feeling excited. "Now normally I would give you some extra reading, but I don't think getting you to read will be difficult. When we get further along in your training, I'll teach you something extra three days a week. Also, I'm performing a heart transplant tomorrow afternoon, so you are more than welcome to stay and watch."

I nodded enthusiastically, hardly able to wait for the surgery. _This_ is where I belong.

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**Author's Notes: **No interaction with Sasuke in this chapter, but it is coming soon, I promise! Trust me, this chapter was entirely necessary, and I would have added Sasuke in if I could but it really didn't fit with the timeline I have in my head. I'm really excited for the next chapter, because a few very important characters will make an appearance! As always, please review and let me know what you think!


	5. The Maiden Grew Up

**Author's Notes: **Yay! I'm so happy you all are as thrilled about this story as I am. It really means a lot, considering I've been planning this story for a long time. To answer a point someone made in their review: Sakura never actually says her name in the police station. She says: _The only thing that was going to be coming out of my mouth was "Haruno Sakura."_ For clarity, I've gone back and changed the quotes to italics, just so no one else gets confused. So yeah, no one knows her name, especially not Sasuke. On another note, I know that 99.9 percent of you are unhappy that Karin is Sasuke's girlfriend, but trust me on this one. And, like I said in my other story, I don't actually hate Karin as a character. Sure she is annoying, but so was Sakura and we didn't hate Sakura, so why hate Karin? Sure, most of us want her out of the way so that Sasuke will focus on Sakura, but hating her? Sorry, no can do.

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Title: Love and in War

Rating: T (or PG-13)

Summary: The first time I met Prince Sasuke was the night he saved my life. I never thought I would see him again, and I certainly never expected to fall in love with him.

Pairings: SasuSaku

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 5: The Maiden Grew Up

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I sat at the reception desk reading _The Lifespan of Human Development_ for one of my classes. I had already finished the homework required, and now I was working on studying for my final exam. Thanks to Tsunade ensuring that I tested out of a few of the classes required for first semester, I was now starting some second semester work. Tsunade also informed me that it would be a good idea to take a few second year courses in the spring to keep my credit hours up. Of course, she assured me, the number of credit hours I took would never be a problem, since I was pretty much assured to graduate on time and maybe a little earlier.

October was just beginning, and it was strange to think that I was already done with a course after only a month. I already knew that classes in medical school had a strange schedule, some going year long and some lasting less than a month, but it was still a strange feeling. It made me feel like it was later in the year than it really was. Though the bad part about that was that there were only two tests, and lots of information on them.

Even though it was only my first month of medical school, Tsunade had taught me so much. At first it was the basic stuff, like taking blood pressure, measuring cholesterol, heart rate, things like that. Then she showed me how to give shots and take blood. I practiced on a dummy arm at first until she was sure that I had gotten it down, and then she made me practice on _her_. When she had rolled up her sleeve for the first time and had given me a syringe I had gone white. Eventually, we practiced enough to where I had gotten comfortable with it all.

Sometimes, there would be days when she would grab me from the desk and we'd go around the clinic doing the work of the nurses. I checked heart rates, lymph nodes, reflexes, minor stuff like that. Most patients were nervous when I walked in with my ID clearly labeling me as a medical student, but then Tsunade would be right behind me and all that nervousness would disappear. When Tsunade explained to them I was her apprentice and did they mind if I did the most basic part of the checkups, they didn't care, allowing me to do what I needed and commending me for getting such a prestigious apprenticeship at such a young age. So far only one had refused, but that wasn't bad for three months time.

I had also read a ton of books, working through Tsunade's bookshelf until she felt the need to order more, and even ordered another bookshelf. I had been ecstatic when she asked me to shelve the books, looking through them and deciding which ones I was going to read first.

Things had slowed down a little now that I was in school. Instead of almost full time I was working more part time job hours now. Unfortunately, that reflected in my paychecks, but I had enough saved up over the summer that I felt comfortable enough that I wasn't going to run out of money anytime soon. I was so grateful I didn't have to worry about rent or tuition, so I focused all of my time learning from Tsunade. I hadn't had to touch my parent's inheritance since I'd arrived, and I'd started my first savings account that was all my own money.

Ah, but that first paycheck. I had been so excited about it that I had immediately called Ino to go help me blow it. We'd spent the money on things for my room, since it had been depressingly bare even after all of my things had arrived. I bought a new comforter, since mine hadn't really been keeping me warm at night, a rug for the floor in my bedroom and a bathmat for in front of my shower. Eventually, I'd matched the bathmat with the rest of the set—in front of the sink, in front of the toilet, and a toilet seat cover—and had bought a shelf to store my towels and toiletries on. I got accent pillows and sheer curtains and picture frames. This room was turning into my haven. I walked into my room and for the first time in over three years I felt like I had a home.

Of course, part of that feeling was due to my roommates. I had been getting along with them better than I had anyone before. For the first time since my mother's death I could talk about girly things and not feel ashamed or embarrassed. I could talk about attractive boys without feeling overprotected. It was such a good feeling. My roommates thought it was a little strange that I was happy all the time, but then I guess that they remembered I had grown up in Rice Fields and didn't have common luxuries. It felt like a Cinderella story. Now all I needed to do was fall in love with a Prin—

Nope. Not even going to go there.

"Sakura?"

I looked up, jarred out of my thoughts. Tsunade stood over me and was looking down at my notes, possibly wondering who could be smiling over a textbook about human development. I got even more excited now that she was here. She didn't show up everyday, and the times she did were a rare treat. "Tsunade." I greeted. "Are we going to do more check-ups?"

"Kind of." She motioned for me to follow, so I did. "You're going to be giving someone a vaccination for malaria."

"Malaria?" That wasn't really common inland, so I'll assume they are going to either somewhere on the coast or an island. Water Country would be a definite possibility, but one of the smaller islands off of the main island. With the capitol of Water Country, Kirigakure, on the main island, it was kept as disease-free as possible to encourage tourism. Tsunade handed me a medical file and I looked over it while we were walking down the corridor. His name was Hatake Kakashi.

Scratch that, his name was _Major_ Hatake Kakashi, since it listed him having military provided healthcare. There was a special hospital form for military personnel, in which they were required to state their rank. He was listed as a Major in the army. Tsunade opened the door to his room and we both walked inside. I got one look at the man sitting on the examination bed and I could have told you what his profession was without needing to look at his file. He wore black cargo pants tucked into steel-toed boots, and for some reason he had bandages wrapped on the outside of his pants at his ankles and lower calves. He wore a black, long sleeved shirt with swirls on the shoulders. What was strangest was the mask he wore over the lower half of his face, not to mention the black scarf he had positioned over his left eye. His hair was silver, but he didn't look that old, and I guessed his age to be mid to late twenties or so. Thirty tops.

"Kakashi, this is my apprentice Sakura, she'll be giving you your shot." It seemed they were on a first name basis, so I told him it was nice to meet him.

"Hopefully she's gentler with her shots than you are." Kakashi said.

"We'll find out won't we?" Tsunade said while I got the syringe out and prepared. "Technically, this is the first time she's ever done one professionally."

I paused while filling the syringe, waiting for him to get nervous, or to ask about my qualifications, or to outright refuse. But he just leaned back, resting his weight on his hands, his one visible eye crinkling in amusement.

"Is that so?" His voice was as it had been before, steady and calm. "So if you botch this can I have a sucker?"

"No," I said. "But you may have a sticker." I started to roll up his sleeve when I heard jingling. I looked past his arm to his waist and saw two bells hanging there.

"Training new recruits today?" Tsunade asked.

"In stealth and strategy." He confirmed. "Training these kids with the bell test is just so entertaining."

"Only because you get to publicly humiliate the losers."

I had finished rolling up his sleeve and was reaching for a cotton ball when Tsunade's comment made me stop in my tracks. "Excuse me?" I asked.

Major Hatake actually _giggled_. "The bell test is a tradition passed down from generation to generation, and it's the only training exercise I conduct since I've been promoted."

"That's because you insist." Tsunade interrupted dryly.

"Because I insist." He nodded. "Basically, I stand in an open field with these two bells attached right where they are. Three at a time the trainees do whatever they can to steal the bells. If they fail, they are tied to a post while the rest of us eat lunch. It's highly entertaining since they're just cadets and they have absolutely no idea what they're doing."

"So…do a lot of people fail?" I asked, rubbing antiseptic on the inside of his arm. I guess a lot of people had to, at least one out of three every time.

His eye crinkled in amusement and he looked at me dead on. "Only two people have successfully gotten these bells from me."

I blinked at him, my mouth open. "That's…that's so sadistic." He laughed. "Isn't there a way to make it easier? Like if the group worked as a team?"

For some reason, _that_ comment stopped his laughter. He ruffled my hair and I could tell he was still smiling. "That's the point of it, Sakura. Of course, don't tell anyone else that or my whole reputation as a bell-hogger will be shot."

"I won't say a word." I finally gave him the shot, noticing that he still didn't tense up. Did nothing bother this guy? Of course, I wanted to believe that it was because I was such a good shot-giver. "All done!" I said after I pulled it out. I wiped the tiny droplet of blood away and put a band-aid over it.

"Not bad. I didn't feel a thing." He complimented. "Very impressive, Sakura." I blushed a little, thanking him for the compliment.

"You think that's impressive?" Tsunade asked, leaning against the wall by the door. "Try letting her look at your other eye."

Major Hatake looked back at me. "Do you want to?"

"I mean…if you don't mind." I _was_ curious, but he probably had it covered for a reason. I didn't want him to feel obligated to do it, either, especially if it wasn't something he really wanted me to see. "That is…only if you're comfortable showing…"

"I don't mind." He said, lifting the scarf. "It is for educational purposes, after all."

He opened his eye and I was shocked and fascinated to see that it was red. I looked at his other eye and it was black. This is so remarkable! I've only ever seen pictures on the Internet of this sort of thing. "You…have two different colored eyes…"

"And why is that?" Tsunade asked me. I was too much in awe to care that she was trying to show me off.

"Heterochromia iridium," I said, glancing between the two eyes. But then I looked closer at his left eye and noticed something off. "But it isn't natural. Your left eye was implanted."

"How do you know?" Tsunade asked again.

"The limbal rings are two different widths." I noticed, looking between his two eyes. "Also, your left eye reacts to light faster than your right eye. So can you…see?" I really hoped this wasn't a rude question.

"I can…probably better in my left eye."

"But you keep it covered?" _Stupid question, Sakura! That's probably personal._ He did have a pretty big scar on that side, which is probably how he lost his eye in the first place. But I don't think it should be anything to be ashamed about unless he was vain about his looks.

"I've gotten used to seeing with one eye, but I do uncover my left eye on the battlefield." He said, not seeming to mind my question at all.

"That's…incredible."

"It is…of course I have to thank my surgeon." He looked meaningfully over at Tsunade.

"You did the implant?" I asked. She nodded. "That's amazing!" When I looked back at the Major, he was lowering the scarf. "Thank you for showing me."

"Sure." He said. "Are we done here?" I nodded and he stood up, thanked me, and started to walk towards the door. I reached into the pocket of my scrubs. "Well, I'm off to train cadets."

"Excuse me Major Hatake," I began. "But aren't you forgetting something?" I jingled the objects in my hand.

He had been walking towards the door while I was talking, but when he heard that jingle his whole body locked up. He slapped his hand to his hip and, when he didn't find what he was looking for, he whirled on me. His black eye was widened and I could see that under the mask his mouth had dropped open. Tsunade, also, had turned and she had much the same expression on her face. I grinned, twirling the two little bells around my index finger.

"Wh—_When_?" The Major asked, and I heard the disbelief in his voice.

I raised an eyebrow. "Well if you don't know then I'm certainly not going to tell you." His arms didn't respond when I tried to give him the bells, so I had to lift his hand and place the bells in his palm, curling his fingers to close over them. "Thank you for being my vaccination guinea pig, Major Hatake, I really appre—"

"No." He said abruptly, and I snapped my gaze up to his face. Had I…done something wrong? Was I not supposed to take the bells? I mean, I hadn't worked in a team, which sort of went against the whole point of the test, so was he…mad? "You do not get to call me by that name anymore." Suddenly, his visible eye betrayed the fact he was smiling, and pretty widely at that. "You get to call me Kakashi from now on."

"But Major Hat—"

"Kakashi." He corrected.

"Isn't that…" I wanted to say _improper and impolite_, but I held my tongue. Also, he interrupted me before I could say any more.

"As I see it, you passed the test, so you can call me anything you like." He sighed. "Although I guess my long standing record is broken."

I flushed a little. "Thank you…Kakashi." And then I remembered something. I reached in my pocket and pulled out a few stickers, looking through them until I found the one I liked. "Since you were so good, you get to be a puppy." I put the rather large sticker on his chest. It was a puppy with a heart-shaped nose.

"A puppy…" He said a little slowly, stretching out his shirt so he could look at it.

"I like puppies." I explained. "Plus, you weren't an asshole when you found out this was my first shot, so I figure you deserve one."

He didn't seem to have heard me. "Please tell me you didn't secretly get these when I wasn't looking."

"Nope, I carry them around to give out to the five year olds…which reminds me, don't you have training to conduct?"

"I…I guess I do." He ruffled my hair again. "I don't suppose you'd like to come and show them how it's done?"

"They should figure it out on their own. The whole point of it is to get them to work as a team without prompting, right?"

"Tsunade, you've got yourself a fine apprentice here."

"Don't I know it." Tsunade said. We all walked down the hall together, and I waved as Kakashi was leaving. My smile got bigger when he waved back. "So tell me," my mentor said after he'd gone. "When _did _you take them?"

I shook my head. "It's a secret."

"I will order you any book you want if you tell me."

I giggled. "Sorry, but bribery isn't going to work this time. The look on your face was too priceless." I sat back down at the reception desk, too happy to start reading again. I'm pretty sure this is bliss.

As I got more experienced, I gradually spent less and less time at the reception desk. I was now checking people's vital signs full time before the doctor arrived, basically taking the part of a nurse. Now, instead of Tsunade taking me to do vital signs, she took me out into the hospital to occasionally check on patients. As I did this, I started doing more advanced things like changing bandages and documenting medical histories. I even helped diagnose someone. Slowly, I was getting busier and busier what with my school work starting to become troublesome and the fact that I could no longer just sit at work and read anymore. My first full shift away from the desk I had come home and nearly collapsed in bed, skipping dinner and a shower and not caring in the least.

But that had been a while ago. It was spring now, and I found I had been wrong about Konoha's winters being milder than Oto's. It still stung any part of your body that was left exposed to the chilly air. I spent my walks to work bundled in a coat and remember fondly the days that I would sweat along the same route. Of course, I had always enjoyed the walk to and from work, even if it was cold. Now, the walk from my classes to the hospital was pleasant since it was early spring, April in fact. I was twenty-one now, and on my birthday I had been given a birthday party for the first time. Not to say that my parents and I hadn't celebrated my birthday, but birthdays always meant a nice meal and a few gifts. I'd had a cake before, but I'd never blown out candles, or had my presents wrapped so colorfully.

That had been two weeks ago, when my life was more simplistic. Finals had been an event far in the future then, and now they were right around the corner. Tsunade assured me I would pass them with ease, but in proper Sakura-fashion I was stressing. My classes were significantly more difficult this semester, since I was taking more classes that sounded like _Psychopathology and an Introduction to Clinical Psychiatry _rather than _Human Development_.

I had stayed later than usual at my desk in the clinic, typing a paper about ethics in medicine. In fact, I didn't even realize how late it had gotten until I felt my eyes blur, and when I got up to stretch my legs a bit my joints popped. I looked at the time and saw it was past eight. I usually only worked until four and then three days a week I went to Tsunade's office for a one-on-one lesson or whatever else she had planned that day. The regular clinic closed down at five, and then all patients were expected to go to the ER for treatment.

Damn, speaking of the ER…I was supposed to drop something by there before I left. I sighed, looking at the paper I had wanted to complete tonight. Oh well, better go do it now before I was too tired to even want to. I packed my things and trudged my way across the hospital to the ER, stopping in the bathroom on my way. I had just finished my business when I heard two women enter.

"I can't believe he actually came."

"I know, right! Looking like that, too! I'm not touching him."

"I don't care who he's related to, it's almost nine, couldn't he have done this in the morning?"

"He's probably queasy at the sight of his own demon blood."

"Murderers are usually the biggest cowards, aren't they?"

They had only come into the bathroom to primp, so they left soon enough. I exited the stall quietly and washed my hands. That had been…suspicious. I also thought the voices had been a bit familiar, but I couldn't place from where. It was nagging at my brain, but I forced it out. They'd mentioned blood, but if someone were really bleeding then someone would have done something by now. I quickly gave the ER receptionist the manila envelope of papers and was about to leave, when a clacking of heels caught my attention. I didn't think anyone else wore heels in the hospital except Tsunade.

"Ah, Sakura, you're still here?"

I looked at the woman who had spoken, recognizing her voice from the bathroom and recognizing her face from the clinic. She was an RN, but I hadn't seen her around lately so she must have been switched into the ER. I couldn't remember her name off the top of my head, but I answered her question anyway.

"In that case, would you mind looking at a patient in Room 7?" I must have looked a little wary, because she said quickly. "Don't worry, it's nothing you can't handle. I would see to it myself but my friend here has gotten really sick and I need to take her home." I looked at the woman she gestured to, who was coughing into her hand.

"I appreciate it, Sakura." The other woman said. I narrowed my eyes immediately, recognizing her voice from the bathroom as well, and she sure hadn't sounded sick then. I looked at the receptionist, but she was typing away at her laptop, not paying any attention to us at all even though I knew she could hear the conversation.

I wanted to snap at them, to let my anger take control of me and to lash out at them for the way they had been talking about a patient in need of help. My rage turned to horror as I realize that patient _still_ needed help. I didn't spare them another glance, bolting to Room 7 as fast as I could. They said he had been bleeding…

I flung open the door and stopped dead in my tracks at the sight, panic seeping into my veins at an alarming pace. There was a man who looked about my age sitting on the table. He looked _pissed_ and I could understand why. The inside of his arm was gashed open almost from elbow to wrist and blood had soaked into his pants, the table, even spilling onto the floor.

"Oh Hell." I said in terror. "You really _are_ bleeding." I dropped my bag to the floor and went to him quickly, grabbing his arm and looking at it. The gash was big…it was going to need stitches _yesterday_ and by the amount of blood on his clothes and the floor I'd say he's already feeling quite dizzy right now, if not about to pass out. "I'm going to go get a doctor." I turned to rush out of the room but a hand grabbed the back of my light jacket and held me in place.

"No. No doctors." He panted out.

"But you're _bleeding to death_!" My voice had adopted a note of hysteria. I don't know why I was losing it. I hadn't even been this panicked when Neji had gotten shot. But maybe I'd been calmer then because the wound had been smaller, or because there hadn't been so much blood, or because there had been someone else there and the Prince had grounded my nerves. Now, I was alone with a man who seemingly didn't _want_ medical attention and I had no idea what to do. "Look," I said, trying to reason with him. I held up my ID for him to see. "I'm a medical student. You're going to need stitches and I don't know how to do stitches. I've never done…"

"I'll walk you through it." He said. I was about to protest when I saw his ocean blue eyes _plead _with me. His body started to sway, and I knew that I was going to have to do it.

I nodded. "Okay…but one thing first." I went over to where I'd dropped my bag, shedding my jacket and tossing it on the floor. I fished out my tea from lunch and some peanut butter crackers I'd brought in case I ever got hungry. Then, I leaned my head out of the door I'd neglected to close. "Hey!" I yelled, my voice echoing through the halls.

The lady at the reception desk answered with a timid, "Yes?"

"Call Tsunade and get her down here right now! If she's not here in ten minutes I'll have your job roasting on a spike! _Do you hear me?_"

There was a, "Yes, ma'am" so I shut the door to at least get the room _somewhat_ sterile. I opened the crackers first and popped one in his mouth before he could argue, washing my hands thoroughly while he chewed and swallowed.

"What was that for?"

"You're going to start feeling faint if you don't eat something."

"And what's that?" He asked.

"It's tea, but it's got sugar in it so it will help keep your blood sugar levels up so you won't faint on me. You've still got to talk me through this you know." I gathered the things and sterilized them, knowing what to do in theory but hardly in practice. This wasn't like Neji's wound either, when all I had to do was stop the blood flow until help arrived. I didn't know _if_ help was arriving. I was going to have to do this right. I looked into his eyes, slightly shadowed by the shock of blond hair on his head. I wondered if he could see how afraid I was.

He was calmer than I expected him to be. When I'd first come in and had seen the expression on his face, I thought he was about to start yelling at me. He had every right to after all, he was bleeding to death and not one person was doing a thing about it. Of course, now I think his moodiness was due to his blood loss. Now that he had eaten something, he was acting a lot more cheerful.

He guided me through the first few stitches, then stopped conducting me when I'd gotten the hang of it. I had cleaned and disinfected the wound—not to mention numbed it, all under his direction—but it was still bleeding. I apologized _profusely_ whenever I made a mistake, but he just told me not to worry about it and to keep going. I told him I'm sorry that it hurt, sorry that I hadn't gotten here earlier. He just told me not to worry with a carefree tone of voice. I think part of him knew that I was babbling—it was painfully obvious to _me_—so maybe he was just trying to keep my nerves down. It worked a little bit, but I hadn't separated myself from the situation entirely. I was trying my hardest not to cry, I was _that_ scared, so that the tears wouldn't blur my vision.

When I was done, I had him look at the stitches to make sure I'd done everything correctly. He said they looked impressive and was I _sure_ I hadn't done this before? I just told him I read a lot. Personally, they looked a little sloppy to me, but he wasn't bleeding anymore which was the important part. I bandaged his arm and put gauze around it. I took a shaky breath, shuddering as all the nerves I'd repressed to keep my hand steady came out at once. I then went to find him some clean clothes, managing somehow to find orange scrubs. When I came back into the room with them, he looked surprised.

"There were blue ones too, but I figured you would like these better." I said, looking at his orange pants. He smiled a little, and I was glad to see it.

"You should find some for you, too." He said. I was confused, but then I looked down and saw dried blood that had dripped down my light blue scrubs, pooling in some places. I let out an "Oh!" because this was the first time I'd even noticed. "Sorry to ruin your clothes," He said with a wince.

I shook my head. "The fabric is naturally stain resistant, not to mention this sort of thing is exactly what they're for. I'll be right back." I went to go get some scrubs for me, and noticed that in anything close to my size there were only orange ones. I was too exhausted to care though. I changed in the women's bathroom and knocked on the door to Room 7 to make sure that I wouldn't walk in on him still getting dressed. He was sitting on the counter this time, away from the blood. I didn't blame him.

When he patted the spot next to him, I didn't think twice as I hauled myself onto the counter and leaned my head back against the cabinet. It was so tempting to just drift off right here, but then I would probably fall into the syringes and impale myself. The man seemed to realize how tired I was because I felt his uninjured arm wrap around my shoulders and tug me over so that I was resting against his chest.

"How are you feeling?" I asked him. I applauded my voice for being pretty clear, and I was trying my hardest not to close my eyes because it would be hard getting them back open again. I had been tired before, but seeing all the blood and realizing what I needed to do had made me alert with all the adrenaline coursing throughout my body. But now that it was over, I felt absolutely drained. It had been like this with Neji's wound too, and the Prince had held me when I was at my weakest. I mentally laughed. Apparently I could only treat life-threatening wounds after nine PM, and only near attractive men.

"I'm fine." He said. "The crackers really did help."

"Good."

"I should be asking if _you're _ok. You look exhausted."

"Sorry," I said, trying to sit up. He probably didn't want me against him all night long. I know I wasn't that heavy, but I was probably still being a burden.

"It's fine! It's fine!" He assured me quickly. "I put you there, didn't I? I don't mind."

"Thank you."

"I'm Naruto, by the way."

I tilted my head up to look at him, smiling. "It's nice to meet you Naruto, I'm Sakura."

"So Sakura-chan, if you don't mind my asking…why…were you so willing to help?"

"I took an oath. Some of it goes 'I will keep my patients from harm and injustice.'" I recited. I knew the whole Hippocratic Oath by heart, but what was just a few paragraphs seemed to stretch on forever now. "Not to mention people who abandon others are worse than trash. At least, that's what my father said someone told him once."

"Hey! That sounds just like—"

The door flew wide open and Tsunade entered. I popped my head off of Naruto's shoulder, but his arm didn't loosen. She looked calm on the exterior but her movements were a little too spastic for her not to be panicking inside. "Sakura?" And then she paused to look at my patient. "_Naruto?_"

"Hey Granny Tsunade! Long time no see!"

"I told you not to call me that." She looked at the blood on the ground. "What the hell happened here?"

"Sakura-chan gave me stitches!"

I saw Tsunade looked a little surprised, since we hadn't even covered stitches yet. We probably weren't even close to it, because you didn't learn about stitches in your first year of medical school, let alone actually _give_ them. I was still at the point where I was changing bandages and looking at blood pressure levels, definitely nothing major. Performing an emergency surgery was as close to major as I was going to get for a while.

"Do you mind if I look?" Tsunade asked. Naruto gave her his arm and she unwrapped the gauze first. I was curious as to what she would say about them, not to mention a little nervous as well. I felt Naruto's arm tighten around me and I looked up to see him looking down at me with a reassuring smile. I smiled back.

Tsunade had unwrapped the gauze by now and was gently turning the blond boy's wrists to look at the stitches from every angle. "These are impressive for your first time, Sakura. Did you read about the procedure?"

I nodded, but then went ahead to add, "Naruto walked me through."

"Did he now?" Tsunade said, rewrapping the gauze. "Well he's had plenty of stitches before. Which reminds me…"

"Yeah yeah, don't get them wet for 48 hours and religiously apply Neosporin. Got it."

"Smart ass." Tsunade said as she worked. "You two look like prison escapees." Both of us giggled. My stomach growled, halting my giggles and my face flushed. "Sakura," Tsunade said in a deadly calm. "What did you eat for dinner?"

"I…um…didn't?"

"What were you doing that you forgot to _eat_?"

"Writing a paper about ethics. Which reminds me, I'm coming in tomorrow and giving you my recommendation on who to fire."

"I can't wait to hear about it." Tsunade said. "But in the meantime, Naruto is going to take you to dinner."

"Sure!" Naruto said, sliding off the counter. "How about ramen?"

"_Not_ ramen." Tsunade growled.

"Ramen," I said slowly, getting down. "Sounds perfect."

"Great! Then to Ichiraku we go!"

"Ichiraku?" I asked, gathering my things. "I've never been." Actually, I hadn't been out to eat many times in the ten months I've lived here.

"Here we go…" Tsunade muttered. I turned, about to ask her what she meant, but then I saw Naruto had his hand on his heart and looked absolutely _affronted_.

"You've…_never been_? How is that even possible?" He turned a small glare to Tsunade. "You're depriving her of fine dining, Granny."

"_Do not_ call me that, and I was actually trying to save her sodium levels."

"Is it…really that good?" I asked. The last time I'd eaten ramen was over a year ago, when I had been trying to save money and just bought the cheap stuff.

"Ichiraku is the best!" Naruto said enthusiastically. "Sometimes, Teme and I go there after combat training."

"Teme?" I asked, wondering who he was calling a bastard as we walked out of the hospital. "Combat training?"

He nodded. "Well I guess you don't know this but I'm sort of an officer in the army."

"Really?" I asked, fascinated. I mean, I could always tell he was muscular from the time that I looked at his wound for the first time, but I had no idea he was in the military.

"I'm a Captain and so is Teme."

"They went to elementary school together and now they're inseparable." Tsunade explained. "I'm going home now." We bid our goodbyes and then she began to walk in the opposite direction.

"So I guess you two are really close."

"Yeah, we started out as rivals more than anything. We were always trying to outdo each other, everything we did was a competition." He looked nostalgic, staring up at the moon talking about his friend. "It got to the point where we almost couldn't stand each other."

"What changed?"

"We did, I guess. I mean, we were basically always together, even outside of school. But that was probably just because of who we are. We always had to go to the same social crap. That stuff was so boring for kids our age and we eventually got along well enough that we would sneak out of whatever ceremony we were in to go play. Not to mention, neither of us really had friends then, but I guess that was because of who we are too."

_Who they are?_ I thought. I didn't want to interrupt him to ask, because by the look on his face he was caught up in his memories, and everything he said was more for his own benefit than mine. Besides, I didn't want to make him uncomfortable. If he hadn't told me who he was, there was a good reason for it. Not to mention his apparent reputation (_"Murderers are usually the biggest cowards, aren't they?"_) was a little…I shook my head. I can't believe I was taking what they were saying to heart. The man before me wasn't the monster they'd described.

I had some of the best conversations that night, not to mention the best ramen I've ever tasted. I didn't even get home until past one in the morning, having to apologize to my roommates since they had been worried. But I walked away with Naruto's phone number and e-mail address so we could meet again sometime. I didn't have a cell phone, so I made sure to place his information in a place where I could be sure not to lose it. We had pretty much become instant friends, which is why I had shown up in Tsunade's office on a Saturday and demanded something be done about the three women.

When I got to work on Monday, the one nurse from the ER was helping her friend clear out her desk in the clinic. They both glared at me when I entered.

"Are you happy now, you little bitch?" One snarled. "You've gotten our licenses suspended."

I bristled right back. "Be happy that's all I did." Actually, if it were up to me they would have gotten fired, but the Board is a bit more lenient than I am. They had to pass me to get out of the room, and as they were doing so I said, "But if I ever hear that you've neglected someone _ever_ again, I will personally make sure you are blacklisted from working in _any_ medical profession. Got that?" I turned around and bared my teeth, slightly amusing the security guard who'd come to escort them out. I could tell the women were a little scared, but they were trying not to show it. Good. They needed someone to place the fear of God into their hearts. "You're _dismissed_." And then I slammed the door in their faces.

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**Author's Notes: **One of my favorite chapters so far, I must admit. And no, there's no Sasuke, because it's simply not that realistic. True, it is a story and I can do whatever the heck I want, but let's face it, you don't just walk around the streets and meet royalty. Of course, I don't actually live in a country where there is a monarchy, but I imagine they're not exactly easy to approach. _However_, you all will want to stay tuned for the next chapter for _certain reasons, hint, hint, wink, wink_. That's all I'm going to say on the matter, just to leave you guessing a bit. And no, I'm not going to tell you when she stole the bells. I could have added all that detail in, but where's the fun in that? As always, please review and let me know what you think!


	6. The Prince Searched for a Princess

**Author's Notes: **I always plan on writing a whole bunch during the summer, but I always get interested in some TV show that I obsess about and have marathons for. Which is not really a good excuse, so I'll just say, "Oops, my bad." I know this update should be for Catch 22, but I didn't feel it was right leaving you all hanging on this story when I have such writer's block on that story. (Words will just not be put down!) So I figured I'd break the cycle and update this one first. Someone mentioned that it was slightly unrealistic that everyone Sakura meets is involved with the military somehow. My reasoning for that was because that was the best way to translate ninjas into the modern world. So even if it is slightly unrealistic, that's the way it's going to be.

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Title: Love and in War

Rating: T (or PG-13)

Summary: The first time I met Prince Sasuke was the night he saved my life. I never thought I would see him again, and I certainly never expected to fall in love with him.

Pairings: SasuSaku

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 6: The Prince Searched for a Princess

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I stretched languidly at my desk, having finished the extensive reading required for my Human Systems course. It was hard to think that I was already starting my second year of med school. It seemed like just last week I was in Oto graduating. It was September already and the whole ordeal still seemed like a dream.

I had just come out of a full time work schedule again, but I didn't have the extra hours to spare. When I wasn't in the hospital, I was in class. It wasn't so bad though, the classes were interesting and I was learning a lot. The one day I didn't have class on was Thursday. I could have chosen to sleep in late, but instead I opted to go to work early and get out early. It was a nice feeling starting at nine and ending at three on those days, then I had the rest of the day to myself. Of course, the rest of my day usually consisted of reading, since I had been too busy in the hospital to properly pilfer Tsunade's library. This meant that she gave me extra reading to be completed at home, since I still had to learn the information anyway.

She'd had me decently busy over the summer, but I must say that some days were easier than others. I once had a shift where all I did was change catheters. Thankfully, I didn't have to look at anyone's…_ahem_…since you just changed the bag at the end of the tube. I would have to get over that phobia eventually, since my professors already told us that we would be doing one dissection this year in March. That would be my first real cadaver, and then next year I'm sure I will be subjected to more than my fair share of naked bodies.

One of the most entertaining days was when Tsunade had me go to an elementary school a few weeks back and give a lesson about germs. The elementary class was so cute, and when the teacher told them I was Tsunade's apprentice they just gave a collective "Ooh." I got colorful sprinkles and put them on a few people's hands, having them go around the class and shake hands with people as a metaphor for the spread of germs. They had so much fun with it and it was hard not to love them.

Tsunade also had me spending a fair amount of time in the lab, where I looked at blood samples and helped to diagnose patients. Of course, one of the more experienced nurses always checked my work, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that I had been right pretty often. The few times I didn't know, the registered nurse would tell me what it was, and the one time neither of us could figure it out, we consulted Tsunade. She told both of us what it was and how to treat it, and then she gave me a small book about the disease to read. I was often surprised with how patient she was, since when she told me to come to her with any questions I took that to heart, and came to her with laundry lists of things I'd wondered about in that night's reading.

My basic diagnoses also extended into the clinic, when the patients allowed me to. Sometimes they asked for someone else, which I understood but I can't say that I didn't feel the least bit hurt, but I was surprised how far the title "Tsunade's apprentice" got me. I only did a basic analysis if I knew the symptoms, and there was always an RN in the room with me for these. I'd diagnosed things from "Your son just has a stomach bug" to "I'm sorry but you have a sexually transmitted disease."

I got to the point where I began to spend half of my time in the actual hospital and half in the clinic. I couldn't prescribe medicine, but I could conduct basic examinations, take down symptoms, and check to see how patients in the hospital were doing among several other things. I had been tickled to no end when Tsunade told me to make a round in the wing for recovering outpatients. I had gone around all day saying things like, "Excuse me, but I have to get back to my _rounds_" or "I just finished my _rounds_." I had gone home that night and, since it was Tenten's turn to cook, asked her for a _round_ hamburger on a _round _bun with lots of _round_ tomatoes. I finally shut up about it when she handed me a burger with hamburger meat molded into a sphere.

I was also giving shots on my own now. The busiest day for that had been a few weeks ago when the required immunization list for students came out. We had kids starting preschool to teens starting college in the office, since apparently they collectively decided to get their shots at the same time. It would have been just hectic, but mothers tended to get especially mad when asked to wait, making the entire week and a half hectic and full of anxiety.

I took my first day off in late May to attend Tenten's graduation. I admit, the ceremony was pretty boring, but Ino, Hinata, and I cheered like no other when Tenten's name was called and she accepted her diploma. I didn't know who the keynote speaker was, since Tenten was graduating in an engineering field. Starting in April, Ino began to joke that Tenten should have gotten her major in Military Sciences (her minor) instead because there were rumors that Prince Sasuke was going to be the keynote speaker at that graduation. Luckily for Ino the rumors had been wrong and a higher-ranking officer spoke instead, and I think I heard he was either a two or three star general. I thought this would be a higher honor, though a lot of people were disappointed because, let's face it, Prince Sasuke is still royalty even though he is only a Captain. I was surprised to hear from Ino that Prince Sasuke had gone to Oto in late May for some sort of discussion (something peaceful and probably more as a publicity stunt than anything else). I didn't think he would ever go back there after what happened. Though I doubted he only kept one bodyguard beside him now. He probably had the whole caravan of armed guards with him at all times.

He was still with Lady Karin, a fact that Ino had grumpily provided me. One time, the blonde had screamed in the dead middle of the sidewalk because of the magazine headline _Prince Sasuke Pops the Question! The Wedding That Will Shock the World!_ I won't lie, a flash of panic coursed through me but I didn't really know why. I think I calmed us both down when I pointed out the magazine it was on, _Inquisitive_,was the same magazine to have found an alien in every new edition. And, for the record, it wasn't true. A few nights later, Prince Sasuke was being interviewed on the news and had confirmed it wasn't true despite the rumors. I had heard him deny it in a way that didn't make either of them look bad—"Karin and I have decided that we are too young for marriage right now."—and immediately Ino started to scream in delight. I hadn't been in the room at the time, so I couldn't see his expression. I had been sitting at my desk with my door open, and while Ino was squealing I couldn't help but think that there had been something in his voice. Something…tense, like there was something wrong. I couldn't identify it though, so I told myself I was imagining things. Besides, it's not like I knew the man well enough to know things like that.

Despite all the girls I was with, it was Naruto who was fast becoming one of my closest friends. We tried to do things at least once a week, even if it was just going out for ramen. Each week he would tell me about something Teme had done, but I never found out who it was. It was kind of nice actually, since I imagined Naruto's friend to be very attractive and mysterious.

I did find out over the summer that Naruto was the Hokage's son. Looking backwards, it was pretty obvious considering the family resemblance. What had thrown me off though was the fact that he was Uzumaki Naruto while the Hokage was Namikaze Minato. I asked him why, and he said that his mother was from Whirlpool (formerly one of Konoha's enemies, which is why he and his mother tend to have bad reputations), and there it is common to give the first born the mother's maiden name in honor of her family. His mother, formerly Uzumaki Kushina, hadn't really cared that much about it, but his father had done it to honor her birthplace. I had smiled and said, "That's sweet." He laughed and told me the joke was on his father, because they weren't going to have another child so there would be no one to continue the Namikaze line. He did tell me that he could use either Namikaze or Uzumaki as a surname, but he preferred Uzumaki because it was what he had always had.

"Besides," He'd said. "That way I don't make a name for myself through my father. I'm going to be Hokage some day and I'm going to do it all on my own."

I think he wants to be Hokage as much as I want to be a doctor. He's an only child, so he'd spent his childhood following his father around, developing a love for the profession. As an only child myself, I knew what his childhood must have been like. Boring to the point of willing to watch someone sign paperwork and finding the task to be fascinating. Of course, Naruto also had more toys to play with than I did. When I got mind-numbingly bored I tied a string to a beetle and flew it around the yard. That had been before my mom bought me my first book. Ever since she gave me _Puppy Goes on an Adventure_ I've been in love with reading.

I've seen Kakashi a few more times too, thankfully not because he needed to be admitted into the hospital. The first time I'd seen him I'd been on my way to Tsunade's office with a file that she wanted. He'd been reading a book, miraculously managing to avoid people even though his attention was elsewhere and he only had the use of one eye. He was walking towards me, and I squinted to get a good look at the name of the book.

"Ah," He said, looking up and stopping to talk with me. "Good afternoon, Sakura."

"Good afternoon." I looked at the book curiously. It was obviously a fiction novel, and it had a guy chasing a girl on the front. And that's when I saw the red circle with a slash through it on the back cover. I stepped back one step. "Kakashi!" I said scandalized. "That's—" I stopped myself from saying it, because there were lots of older people and young children roaming the hospital, not to mention the occasional religious figure. "How can you read such a thing?" I flushed. "In _public_ no less!" His mask had covered most of his face, but his eye had betrayed the fact that he had been perfectly stoic.

"You see, Sakura." Uh oh. He was smiling. "I was just getting to the part where Junko—"

I made a strangled noise in the back of my throat. "I don't want to hear it!" I said _quickly_.

"Oh Sakura." He patted my hair. "One day you'll be very interested in what these books have to say."

I was absolutely horrified, but I wanted to try something. "What if I…wanted to try them now?" I asked him, trying to sound embarrassed. That wasn't hard though, because the embarrassment was genuine. "I mean, my boyfriend and I want to, you know, but we need some…well, _inspiration_…"

I had to hide my glee as the skin around his visible eye went white.

The book snapped shut, and his black eye narrowed at me. "Who is he, Sakura?" I paused for a moment at the edge in his voice. I had expected him to be apologetic and embarrassed, instead he sounded like he was about to kill someone.

"I don't know if I should tell you. You don't sound very thrilled to be hearing about my sex life."

"_Sakura_." He ground out. "You are forbidden to read these books until you are married. No…not even then. You can…" He was twitching now. "Screw this…" And then he grabbed my hand and tugged me up to Tsunade's office, barging into the room without knocking. Tsunade took one look at his tense posture and my wicked grin and adopted a wary look of her own.

"What?" She asked.

"I'm buying her a chastity belt. Do they still make those?"

I couldn't help the laughing that had followed, but it did slightly ease Kakashi's fraying nerves to know that I was just kidding, and then completely to know that I was one hundred percent single. I finally knew what roused the unflappable man into a state of frenzy, but unfortunately talking about my sex life was uncomfortable for me as well. I doubt I'd ever bring it up in the future. The next time I had seen him, he'd retaliated against my teasing by showing up for a tetanus shot three hours late. He told me he'd been helping get a cat out of a tree for an old woman. I responded by using the biggest needle I could find.

I cracked my neck and there was a knock at my door. I kept the door to my room open pretty much all the time, but after my three roommates had learned how easily startled I was they started knocking anyway before they came in. I turned around in my desk chair and saw Hinata.

"Hey, Hinata!"

"Hey," She began. "Do you mind doing me a favor?"

"Of course not." I was finished reading anyway, and if it gave me the chance to walk around a little I was up for it.

"I have to go out, but my cousin is supposed to drop by with a package for me. Can you just answer the door and get the package from him?"

"Sure, no problem."

"Great, thank you!" She left, and I heard the front door open and close a few minutes later.

I tidied up my room a bit for something to do, and it wasn't half an hour later that our doorbell rang. I had been surprised that we had a doorbell, but it was far more convenient than knocking. If people knocked at the front door I would never hear them. It rang again as soon as I stepped into the living area.

"Coming!" I called out. Obviously Hinata's cousin wasn't a whole lot like her. Hinata was more patient than this. I heard talking on the other side, and from the one sided conversation it appeared that her cousin was definitely on the phone.

I opened the door and came face-to-face with someone all too familiar. As soon as he saw me, his grip on the phone slackened but neither of us reached for it and it fell to the floor. His white eyes (I knew I should have asked if she was related!) were open wide and I could tell he wasn't using any muscles to support his jaw. Though to be fair, I think his expression was only a mirror of mine. Hinata's package balanced precariously under his arm.

He slowly reached down and picked up the phone, since whoever was on the other end had been protesting loudly. "I'm going to have to call you back." He said, hanging up before they could get a word in edge-wise.

I cleared my throat. "Hi!" I said quasi-enthusiastically. He honestly didn't look too happy to see me. "Fancy seeing you here."

"You're…" He paused, collecting himself. I remembered that this was the same man who didn't utter a word of pain when he had been shot. The same man whose pride wouldn't have allowed me to help him sit up. He obviously didn't lose his composure like this very often. "Why are you here?"

I cocked my head. "I live here."

"_You're_ Sakura?" He asked incredulously.

"I am. Oh! But I guess there was never time for us to properly meet." I stuck out my hand. "I'm Haruno Sakura."

He took it warily. "Hyuuga Neji."

"It's very nice to meet you." I'd always called him Neji in my head, but I didn't know if we were close enough for me to call him by his first name. "Would you like to come in?" When he gave me a _look_, I laughed a little, "I promise there are no guns in the apartment."

"I should hope not…" he muttered, but stepped inside. I went to go make tea and he sat down at one of the kitchen barstools. He had clearly been here before, but I had obviously been out at the time. Though it occurred to me that it was odd he didn't know who I was. If anyone told him my hair color at all then I figured he would probably be able to make the connection. It had been a long time since he'd visited, since there were pictures of the four of us scattered throughout the apartment.

"If you don't mind my asking," I said when I got the water set to boil. "Were you okay? I mean…did everything heal…?" It would be so much easier if I had the guts to ask him if he would just lift up his shirt a little so I could see my handiwork.

"Yes. There's no scar."

"Good…I'm glad." I said turning back to the whistling kettle, a soft smile forming on my face. If he had said anything to the alternative, I'm sure the guilt would have weighed me down to rock bottom.

"You're living in Konoha now." He said. Instead of calling him Captain Obvious, I interpreted this as more of a question.

"I am. I got a scholarship to the med school here after I graduated."

"You're…Tsunade's apprentice." He said a little slowly, as if remembering something. I smiled as I set his tea down in front of him.

"That's right." I suppose Hinata told him. I would say that I had a prestigious position, but I hardly doubted I was famous.

"What happened after we left?" He asked. He didn't even have to specify when. My mind was racing two and a half years in the past.

"Well, Zaku and Dosu were both convicted. Dosu is serving the maximum sentence of ten years for shooting you, and Zaku is doing three. Kin—you don't know her but she was originally part of the group that attacked me—did six months."

He gave me a dry, unamused look. "The justice in Rice Fields is a joke." He paused. "No offense."

"None taken." I said, and I truly meant it. There was no justice, especially when an aristocrat like someone from the Abumi family was being convicted. "Actually, I know this will only worsen your opinion of Oto but I doubt that they will serve the entire sentences." They were more than likely to get out early on good behavior. Kin had, and she'd let me know about it too through a letter. I had been paranoid for days after she was released, only getting over it when I realized that worrying about it wasn't going to do me much good.

"This is exceptional tea." He said, changing the subject. I was grateful since it was obvious he didn't want to relive those few hours either. "What is it?"

"It's Tenten's special blend. You should ask her." It had occurred to me shortly after he'd arrived that _this_ was Hinata's cousin that Tenten apparently had a major crush on.

He looked into his cup warily. "Are you sure it's not poisoned?" He asked.

"Be nice." I chastised with a small smile. It was true that Tenten wasn't the greatest cook, but she did know her teas. "You know, her cooking isn't that bad." He shot me a dry look. "I'm serious! It's improved a lot!" What with the tutelage from Hinata, Ino, and me, Tenten's cooking has improved up to normal standards. It wasn't _that_ crappy to start with, but there had been moments…I mentally shuddered. All it took was a few lessons and she had gotten the hang of it. She'd grown up an orphan, so no one had taught her how to cook anything, instead leaving her to fend for herself when she got old enough. "You know, it's her turn to cook tonight. Why don't you stay for dinner? I think she's making herring soba." His eyes lit up and I mentally did a fist pump. From all of Tenten's babbling about Hinata's attractive cousin, I had remembered his favorite food. Of course, I had no idea what Tenten was planning on making tonight, but for the sake of matchmaking we would be eating herring soba tonight come Hell or high water.

"Sorry, but I'm afraid I have to pass." He actually did sound somewhat sorry. "I have a prior engagement tonight and I can't miss it…no matter how much I want to."

"That bad, huh?"

He rolled his eyes. "You have no idea." He gave a tiny little smirk/smile and I realized he was starting to warm up to me. "Actually, I had better be making my way over there soon or else risk being late."

"Sure." I had a thought, and grabbed a styrofoam coffee cup with a lid and made him a cup of tea to go. "You can drink this on the way. Or during the exceptionally boring parts."

He stood up and made his way to the door. "Thank you, Sakura. Please make sure Hinata gets her package."

"No problem. And stop by any time, for dinner or just to visit."

He nodded, thanked me for the tea, and left. I closed the door behind him, waited a few moments, and then squealed in delight. He'd called me by my first name! It was good to know he didn't totally hate me. Maybe we could even be friends…eventually.

Tenten got home first from work and I helped her with dinner, telling her we almost had a dinner guest. She was mortified that I'd tried to play matchmaker, especially since she'd never made herring soba before. Ino and Hinata were a bit more amused by my matchmaking skills, especially when I told them that I told Neji he could drop by whenever he liked.

"You did _what?_" Tenten screeched.

"Watch the fish or it will burn." Hinata said. Tenten grudgingly turned back to the pan on the stove.

"I think it's a fabulous idea. You're not going to approach him on your own." Ino said. She was beside me on the barstools, and we were all talking while Tenten cooked. She would never tell us this, but having us here while she cooked soothed Tenten's nerves. She wasn't alone, and she could ask any of us for help when she needed it.

"Says who?"

"Says two years of him coming over here and you not jumping his bones."

"That's my _cousin_ you're talking about." Hinata despaired.

"Sorry, but Sakura agrees with me! We need to work on your confidence a little so you can just march right up to him and ask him out."

"Sorry." I said with a playful wince. "I'm old fashioned. I think the guy should ask the girl out."

"Ha!" Tenten said, whirling around and pointing a spatula at Ino. "She's totally on my side!"

"The _fish_, Tenten." Hinata said. Tenten turned back to the stove again.

"But when he does come over here, make him a cup of tea." I offered as advice. "He thought your blend was exceptional."

"He did not." Tenten said. She sounded a little…forlorn.

"I kid you not, that was a direct quote." I said, hoping it would cheer her up a little. It did. "If you make him herring soba you will probably have him eating out of the palm of your hand."

"Imagine that." Ino said smiling. I instantly knew she was about to get herself in trouble. "Our little Tenten feeding Hyuuga Neji soba noodles out of the palm of her hand. Can you make sure to feed him while he's shirtless?"

"_Ino!_" Came the mortified cries of both Tenten and Hinata.

The blonde pouted. "Come on! He always fills out those shirts of his so nicely! I just want to see all those muscles he's hiding!"

I refrained from telling them that I had seen his muscles up close and personal. They had been impressive then, so I could only imagine how they looked now. I wanted to tell them I'd seen his muscles so I could tell them that I'd literally ripped his shirt right off of him, just to see their reactions, but that would lead to too many questions. I'd already relived the night with Neji here. True, I cherished some memories, like the Prince holding me and standing up for me, but memories of Zaku still made me shudder. I could still imagine his face perfectly as he raised the gun.

I had a nightmare about it that night, dreaming that I was in that brick alcove and Zaku was getting ready to shoot. But this time, Neji's gun had been too far away and I couldn't reach it. It was an out of body experience as I saw Zaku kill Prince Sasuke first, then me, then Neji, laughing sinisterly all the while. It had me so spooked that I couldn't go back to bed after I woke up at five AM. I had to turn on my light and search my room and my bathroom to make sure there wasn't anyone there. I ended up taking a bath for an hour and a half with an actual fiction novel and a mug of tea. After that long, the water got cold so I got out and got dressed, refilling my mug and continued reading on the balcony wrapped in the afghan from the couch.

The sunrise that morning took me back to the first day I arrived. Stepping out of the airport to see the warm colors of dawn stretching out over the horizon. It had been the start of something new then, and this sunrise was the start of something new as well. I was safe here. No one in Oto knew where I was, considering I didn't have many friends then and none I talked to outside of class. I hadn't been paranoid enough to have nightmares for a year now. It was probably just Neji's unexpected visit that had my mind stirring up all the images.

I sat through my class, taking notes until my hand hurt and writing down the required reading in my calendar. I was in the clinic by eleven, ate my lunch at my desk, and then changed into my red scrubs with the white trim (my favorites) in the bathroom. I clipped my ID to the bottom of my shirt and set off to Tsunade's office to find out what I was to do for the day.

Today I was making a round (teehee) in the recovery ward after a few hours in the clinic. It wasn't the first time I had been on rounds in the recovery ward, but I was still overwhelmed at the size. It took me two hours to get through three quarters of my rooms.

I stepped into the next room and found the man to be asleep. I picked up the chart at the foot of his bed. His name was Rock Lee, a First Lieutenant in the army, and he'd just undergone replacement knee surgery in his left leg. I looked back at him and jumped a little when I saw his eyes were open and he was looking at me.

"Hi," I said in the tone I'd come to adopt with patients who were just waking up. Gentle, so as not to startle them. "How are you feeling?" I saw his face give a slight twist. "Are you in any pain?" He nodded a little and I checked his chart again. The doctor had given the go ahead to up his morphine if he needed it, so I did and made a note on the clipboard. "I'm just going to check your vital signs and make sure you're doing okay. It will only take a moment." He nodded sleepily and I felt a little sorry for him. His surgery had only been this morning, so he was probably still feeling the after effects of the anesthesia.

I checked his pulse, having to lean over him since he was too tired to sit up. The stethoscope had been a birthday gift from Tsunade, a silver one with baby pink tubing that was for breast cancer awareness, but it was obvious she knew me pretty well even after only a year of working together.

"You…smell nice…" He said softly. I blinked at that, wondering why since I never put on any perfumes or lotions. "Like…apples…"

I laughed a little, writing down his pulse in his chart. "You have an excellent nose. That's my shampoo you're smelling."

"I like it…Doctor…" He squinted a little to read my nametag. "Haruno."

"Just Miss, I'm not a doctor yet. You can call me Sakura if you want to." Miss Haruno made me feel sort of like a kindergarten teacher anyway.

"A pretty name for a pretty girl."

Oh dear. He's hitting on me now. I told him thank you, but didn't encourage him. I took his blood pressure and wrote it down. "Has anyone explained the recovery and rehabilitation procedure to you?"

He shook his head. "No."

Well that wasn't the truth since I know they probably explained it to him at length before the surgery. He was either still out of it and didn't know what he was saying, or he was still hitting on me and didn't want me to leave. By the clarity in his eyes, I guessed the latter.

"Well you will be in here another two days to recover, and a physical therapist should be here tomorrow to help you start to walk again. Until then, please keep your knee as straight as possible. After you are discharged from the hospital, we recommend extensive physical therapy that will get you back to normal again. It will take up to twelve weeks, but it is highly beneficial. But for the first few weeks, please try to avoid kneeling or squatting, and try to avoid stairs as much as possible." I had to speak mechanically, because if I didn't I would blurt out something about his eyebrows. I wanted to chastise myself for not being professional, but they were very…distracting. I almost smiled as I realized Naruto would have come up with some derogatory nickname for him by now. "Those are just the basics, and the physical therapist will explain it for you more in depth tomorrow."

"Can't you explain it?"

"I don't have the expertise that a physical therapist does, and I'm not sure that I would be able to answer all the questions you may have."

"Oh…" He looked so crestfallen that I wanted to go and research everything there was to know about eyebrows—I mean, about knee replacement therapy. "You know I injured this in a training exercise? One on one combat against the Kazekage himself and…I lost…"

"I've heard that the Kazekage is abnormally good at hand to hand fighting." I said. "It's nothing to be ashamed of." Of course, I'd also heard he was one of the most handsome bachelors in the world. What had really surprised me was that he had colorings a little similar to mine. Except his hair was a vibrant red and his eyes a pale jade. He was only twenty-three and yet he was a Kage, the youngest man to ever hold the position in any country.

"Thank you, Miss Sakura." Now I felt even more like a kindergarten teacher.

"Sure. Is there anything else you need?"

"No."

"I'm not sure that I'll be assigned here tomorrow, but I'll try to stop by and see how you're doing." I almost regretted that statement when hearts appeared in his eyes.

"I look forward to it, Miss Sakura."

I opened the door to the room. "If you need anything, hit the call button on your bed and a nurse will be down to see to you." I walked out of the room, turning towards the door with a "Take care!"

I shut the door behind me and turned to go to my next room when I crashed into someone. Immediately, my reflexes had me stumbling back to catch myself, but instead I was supported by a strong arm that wrapped itself around my middle. My eyes widened at the gesture. _There's no way_, I thought. I had to be dreaming, this couldn't possibly be real. My vision focused and I found myself looking at a casual army uniform, my eyes lifting to his face to confirm something I already knew.

I was instantly drowning in obsidian pools.

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**Author's Notes: **Since I know this will be a question in the reviews, no, Sakura didn't meet Sasuke again through Naruto. I thought about it, but I can't see Naruto telling her who Teme actually is for three reasons. The first is that he's not the type to brag and go, "By the way, I'm best friends with _the_ Prince Sasuke." It's just not in character. Secondly, what if he told her and she turned out to be his biggest fan? She would ask if he could introduce them, and then their friendship would be her using him to get closer to Sasuke. Finally, I see Naruto as sort of the jealous type, and what if she ended up liking Sasuke more than him, and would rather hang out with "someone better" or something along those lines. So, no, Sakura meets him by sheer coincidence again, because I just can't see Naruto telling her. On another note, just to give you some author's insight and for fun trivia, the person Neji was talking to on the phone was Shikamaru, and Jiraiya was the general who was the speaker for the Military Sciences graduation. As always, please review and let me know what you think!


	7. Who Are You, Fair Maiden?

**Author's Notes: **Thanks everyone for the wonderful feedback! Just know that those are the kind of things that keep me going. I explained this in _Catch 22_, but I'll explain it again here for those who don't read that story: I've had a really huge semester so far, and it's kind of hard to make time to write these days. I will try though, but that once a week thing that was happening earlier this year probably won't happen again until…the same time next year. Still, thank you all for being so patient, and please know that I'm trying my best!

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Title: Love and in War

Rating: T (or PG-13)

Summary: The first time I met Prince Sasuke was the night he saved my life. I never thought I would see him again, and I certainly never expected to fall in love with him.

Pairings: SasuSaku

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 7: Who Are You, Fair Maiden?

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I stared up at the Prince in shock. Was I breathing? I couldn't tell if I was breathing or not. It was hard to concentrate with his charcoal eyes looking at me like that, like he was looking straight into my soul. I couldn't look away from him, just like before when his eyes held me captive.

His arm hadn't loosened when I'd regained my balance, and I was pressed against him tightly enough that I wondered if he could hear my fluttering heartbeat. I could hear it, and I resisted the urge to blush. I didn't know if he recognized me at all. It had been a few years since the incident, but I had always imagined it would be easy since I have, you know, _pink_ hair. Of course, I was probably just a barely noticeable blip on his radar. He had met with probably hundreds if not thousands of people by now, and I was just some girl he happened to share a few hours of his busy life with.

For a split second, I saw surprise flit across his face so fast that I thought I might be imagining things. Before my very eyes, his gaze softened and the corner of his lips turned up slightly in a smirk. He had done that before too, and I think I remember me thinking it was as close to a smile as I was going to get from him. I did blush a little when he finally spoke in a voice so deep it sent shocks straight down my spine.

"Hello again."

He did remember. This fact alone made me rejoice inside, considering I had a place in his memory, no matter how small. I gave a sheepish smile, placing one hand on the arm around my waist and using the other to clear my hair out of my face as a nervous gesture. This time, I didn't try to push him away.

"We've got to stop meeting like this." I told him. I could see that he'd grown up a little. His features had gotten sharper in the two and a half years I haven't seen him. His hair was about the same, but it was hard to tell since the back of it still defied gravity. I started noticing all the little details that I hadn't been able to pick out the few times I'd seen him on television.

He was quiet for a minute. "So…you made it."

I couldn't help my grin. "I did. I got a surprise scholarship after I graduated."

He nodded. "And you're working at the hospital already? How far into med school are you?"

"I just started my second year a few weeks ago. Normally I couldn't work here until at least my third year, but Tsunade requires me to." I stopped, realizing that I'd made my job sound like an obligation. "Not that I mind, of course."

He cocked his head to one side. "Tsunade?"

I nodded. "I'm her apprentice!" I told him excitedly and I won't lie, the look on his face after I said that made me want to squeal like Ino.

"Sakura-chan!" I heard a familiar voice calling my name. Suddenly, I was tackled out of Prince Sasuke's arms and felt another's close around me. It was with a slight disappointment that I felt the Prince slip away from me all too easily. However, I instantly recognized the new person without much prompting.

"Naruto!" I said, returning his hug. "You're here too?" I noticed he was dressed the same way as the Prince, in dark blue pants, a light blue button down shirt with his name embroidered on the chest, and a dark blue tie. I knew he had a hat in his hands, since the bill was poking me in the back.

"Yeah! Teme and I are here to see Fuzzy Brows."

I laughed at this, but tried my hardest to turn it into a cough, failing miserably. I wasn't really supposed to laugh at patients, but it was just the fact that I had instantly known who he was talking about, since I had thought along the same line Naruto had. I'd even been right about Naruto coming up with a derogatory nickname. My giggles died down and something clicked. "Wait…" I looked over to the Prince. "You're Teme?"

He looked surprised, and I saw his eye twitch once. "You two…know each other?"

"Yeah!" I said brightly. "We met in…when was that, Naruto?"

"Before summer…March?"

"No, it was after my birthday. Oh yeah, it was April because I was stressing about finals."

"Right! That's why you stayed late, to write your paper, right?"

"Yep. Ethics in medicine!"

"Did you ever tell me how you did in that class?"

"I got an A." I flipped my hair in a playfully smug manner.

"Of course." Naruto said, grinning. He turned to Prince Sasuke. "Sakura-chan is the smartest!"

I turned back to the Prince with my own grin and saw that his eye really was twitching. "You two…know each other…" Except instead of a question, this time it was somewhat of an incredulous statement.

"Sakura-chan is the one who stitched me up when I gashed my arm." I shivered, remembering him sitting on that operating table bleeding to death. Not for the first time I wondered what would have happened if I hadn't gotten there in time. "Hey, don't you have a break coming up?" Naruto asked me.

"What time is it?" It couldn't be three o'clock already.

"It's three-fifteen."

I blinked. "Really?" I guess I'd been at this longer than I thought. "I guess I'll just have to take a break when I finish my rounds. Which reminds me, I really do have work to do." I turned an apologetic smile to Naruto. "I should be done in about half an hour, if you're still here."

"Sure! Same spot?"

I nodded, knowing he was talking about the nurse's break room in the clinic. We'd met there before when we didn't have time to do anything during the week. To make it fair, sometimes I met him early in the morning at his apartment and brought him breakfast so he didn't always have to come over here. We ate breakfast and then he drove me to class, since it was on his way to work.

I turned to the Prince. "It was nice seeing you again, Prince Sasuke." I said, noticing my voice sounded overly polite. To be honest, I wasn't really sure what to say to him. What exactly did one chat about with the Prince of Fire Country? "Maybe we'll bump into each other again sometime." I turned to Naruto. "I'll see you later."

"Bye Sakura-chan!"

The Prince was strangely silent, but I walked to the next room anyway, having duties to complete. Mentally, I berated myself. _"Maybe we'll bump into each other again sometime"?! How much cornier can I get? Stupid…Stupid, stupid, stupid! Why can't I ever think of something especially cool and witty to say? Ugh!_

I ended up finishing my rounds a little early, so I went to Tsunade's office and got a book about physical therapy to distract myself from my thoughts. I really didn't want to think about the fact that I had just made a fool of myself in front of one of the most influential people in the world. Not to mention, having a book to read would hopefully make the adrenaline rush fade, as my heart still kind of fluttered at the thought that I'd seen him again.

From Tsunade's, I went to the nurse's break room in the clinic. The blond was probably still chatting with Rock Lee, so I cracked open _Modern Techniques for Physical Rehabilitation_ and started to read, familiarizing myself with the exercises and which ones would help strengthen weakened muscles. Eventually, I had to go get my notebook and a pen, since taking notes was a habit I hadn't ever been able to break. I had been teased about it before, but I can't say that it hasn't helped me.

I don't even know why I was taking so much interest. It hadn't been the first time a patient has told me why they needed the surgery. He had just looked so forlorn and _depressed_ when he heard of all the things he wasn't going to be able to do for the next few months. I hadn't seen much of his body, but I knew that if the muscles on his arms were anything to go by he was a very active person. He was going to be knocked down by his own physical limitations for a while, and I could already tell it wasn't going to be easy for him.

I had taken half a page of notes when the door opened. I expected to see Naruto there, since he usually had a way of getting the nurses to let him in the room, but instead it was the woman who had replaced me as the receptionist.

"Sakura, you have a visitor."

I thought it was strange that Naruto would be introduced like that, since he'd been around the hospital enough over the past few months that most of the staff I worked with knew him. They had also become quite comfortable around him, something that warmed my heart each day that he came. The receptionist even knew him, so I don't know why she was introducing him like that.

A figure strode into the room and I was more than a little surprised to see it _wasn't_ Naruto.

It was Prince Sasuke.

Before I knew it, the receptionist bowed at the Prince before leaving, shutting the door behind her, and the Prince was standing across from me. "Mind if I sit down?"

I was catapulted out of a shocked daze when I actually had to provide an answer. "I don't mind." He sat down across from me at the round table and I just blinked at him. "If I'd known you wanted to come, I would have invited you, too. Speaking of, is Naruto with you?"

He shook his head. "He's still talking to Lee."

"I see." I shut my book after marking my page, mentally reminding myself that he's only human. "Can I get you anything, then, Your Highness?"

"Call me Sasuke." He said like he was talking about the weather.

I cocked my head to one side. "Is that…um…appropriate?" Calling Kakashi by his first name had been hard enough at first, but calling the Prince of Konoha by his first name? That was a little unsettling.

"It is when we're alone. I don't really like formalities, anyway." Prin—I mean, _Sasuke_ told me. He looked down at my notebook. "Did I disturb you?"

I looked down, a little embarrassed with having such a strange habit. "No. I was just doing some extra-curricular reading."

He slid the book over to his side of the table so he could see the title better. "You're worried about him, aren't you?" He asked, looking at me and opening to my bookmarked page to see how far I'd gotten.

"I…" I got a little sad, remembering how Lee had sounded a little hopeful when he'd basically asked me to stay. Now, I felt a little guilty that I'd left early. "He just seems like a very active person. Recovery won't really be easy, especially the first few weeks when he won't be allowed to do much."

"But he will recover, right?"

"I can't talk about patients with you." I said. If I gave information about a patient to anyone who wasn't a legal guardian or his doctor, I'd get fired on the spot, Tsunade's apprentice or not. Actually, come to think of it, Tsunade would probably be the one firing me.

"Okay then, how long would it take a patient to recover from knee replacement surgery, assuming that their kneecap had been shattered?"

I couldn't help it that the corner of my lip titled upwards. He was a clever one, to ask something that would still allow me to answer without it getting too personal. Though I guess he probably did this a lot—asking indirect questions, I mean—considering his military and celebrity status.

"_Hypothetically_," I stressed. "A patient will undergo up to twelve weeks of physical therapy. The patient won't be able to do much for the first month, and will be mostly inactive during that time. It depends on the person, but generally after therapy the person is able to go back to their normal lives, but they will have some difficulty doing things that stress the knee. Running, jumping…" I trailed off. I think he knew where I was going with that.

"So you don't think he'll be able to go back into the military?" Sasuke asked.

"I never said my hypothetical patient was a he." I said smiling. "But, it is doubtful that a person previously in the military would be able to go back to rigorous field work."

"I see…"

I cleared my throat, trying to clear the suddenly tense air. "So you're Teme, huh? Naruto talks a lot about you."

"He does, does he?" Oops. I think I may have just gotten Naruto in a whole heap of trouble.

"Nothing bad, I promise!" I was quick to assure him. "Just funny stories. I had no idea he was well…_you_, though."

"Well I had no idea that Sakura was _you_." He was quick to counter.

"Oh yeah! I guess there was never time back then for me to introduce myself. Neji was surprised to learn who I was as well."

"You talked to Neji?"

"He came over to my apartment yesterday to drop something off. His cousin is one of my roommates." I couldn't help but notice how blank his face had gotten. "Has my hair color honestly not come up in any conversation? I would think that it would be a pretty obvious connection to make."

He shook his head. "Naruto never mentioned your hair color."

"That's odd. It's all anyone in Oto ever wanted to talk about." I mentally winced, knowing where I'd just taken the conversation, and Sasuke didn't disappoint.

"Orochimaru…did he threaten you that night?"

"Yes." I saw his face get tense. "Indirectly. He just told me that there would be "dire consequences" if I ever messed up again." I made sure to use air quotes while I was talking. "Although he hasn't bothered me since then."

He sat there for a minute, his face still a little tense. "What happened after that?"

"After that…one of your guards took me home. Thanks for that, by the way, I didn't really trust anyone in the police station. I probably would have ended up walking."

"Walking?" His voice had gone scarily quiet. "In the middle of the night? After what you'd _just_ gone through?" I noticed he didn't mention that I had probably been showing just about as much skin as I was covering. Although come to think of it, I think Kotetsu had said something about having to come save me again. Still…

"Well before that I walked home every night, even after that I still walked home from work. I trusted that far more than police officers who held a grudge against me."

He gave me a dry look. "You're not very bright, are you?"

"Hey!"

"You continued to walk after you'd been _attacked_ along the same route? Since when is that being smart?"

I gave him a look that hopefully told him I wasn't _that_ stupid. "The people that attacked me were in jail, which included the gang's leader. The group split up after that, so there was no threat at that point." I failed to mention that I had been jumping at shadows for the longest time after that. "Besides, it's not like I had much of a choice. I couldn't exactly take a cab home every night, and I didn't know anyone with a car." I couldn't really tell, but I think I hear a growl coming from his direction. "I bought pepper spray." I said, trying to calm him down a little bit.

"You're…annoying…" He gritted out.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm very sorry you feel that way." And then I realized something. "Hold on a minute! What were _you_ doing out there late at night? Those were some pretty sketchy streets for a Prince."

He shrugged. "We ate a late dinner so there would be fewer crowds, and then took a side street back to the hotel for the same reasoning, so I wouldn't get recognized. Though clearly that wasn't an issue." He rolled his eyes, probably wondering how anyone could not recognize him, since it was obviously such a problem in Konoha. He turned a glare onto me, his earlier anger reignited. "And might I remind you I had a bodyguard with a gun."

I cleared my throat. "_Anyway_, onto a lighter topic," I grinned at him, ignoring the way he was still seething, probably repressing the urge to lecture me on the dangers of walking home alone at night. "Congratulations on your promotion to Captain. The last time I saw you, you were a…First Lieutenant?"

He closed his eyes and took a calming breath before looking at me again. "That's right. Last year."

"That's quite an accomplishment, especially for someone your age." I paused. "How old are you, anyway?" I asked. With all of Ino's babbling about him, I don't think she actually let slip how old he was.

He looked amused, and I was happy to see that his earlier agitation was gone. "I'm twenty-three."

"You're only two years older than I am?" Suddenly, my life felt a little puny in comparison to his. "Although I guess it makes sense that you're the same age as Naruto."

His eyebrows furrowed for a moment. "You're only twenty-one?"

I cocked my head to one side. "How old did you think I was?"

He was silent for a moment, and I could see the gears in his head turning. "When the hell did you graduate?"

I giggled. I remembered telling him what year I was back then. If I'd stayed on that track I would have graduated during the summer. It was strange to think about. "I graduated a year ago in June. I started my second year of med school a few weeks ago."

"And you gave Naruto stitches?"

"That…was sort of an accident." He looked like he was waiting for me to elaborate, so I did. "I stayed late one night and sort of…stumbled across him in an operating room. I refused at first, but then he refused a doctor, so it was either that or watching him bleed to death." At that point, I thought he mumbled "dumbass" under his breath, but I couldn't be sure. "Afterwards, he took me out to eat and we've been friends ever since."

Speak of the devil, the door opened and in stepped the blond. He thanked whichever nurse that let him into the room before plopping down in a chair at the table. He put a soft drink in front of me and I smiled at him.

"You know me too well." I told him, unscrewing the cap. The bubbles tickled my mouth and the rush of caffeine was a relief.

Naruto nodded. "I do. You look exhausted. I guess being hit on by Fuzzy Brows is tiring."

I smirked. "He told you about that?"

He put a hand dramatically on his heart and raised his voice an octave. "'Miss Sakura is the fairest lotus blossom in the whole country. I vow to get better in six weeks or else I'll do a hundred laps around the army base. Yosh!'"

I stared at him blankly. Naruto had probably embellished a little bit, but I think I got a pretty good gist of their conversation. _Is this guy for real?_ I decided he couldn't be. No way anyone would want to do a hundred laps around anything. "You made that up." I accused Naruto. Though I saw Sasuke's expression out of the corner of my eye. He was smirking knowingly, like he could just imagine Lee saying those things.

"I most certainly did not!" He looked to Sasuke. "Back me up here, Teme. You were there."

I looked at the Prince a little curiously. "It's true. Word for word."

I sighed heavily and rolled my eyes. "I tell him not to do anything strenuous and that's the first thing he's planning. That Fuzzy Brow—" I cut myself off quickly. I'd always chastised Naruto a little for making fun of people, and here I was doing it! "Lee! I meant _Lee_!" But it was too late. Sasuke was smirking and Naruto was grinning at my slip up. I turned a mock glare onto Naruto. "Your bad habits are rubbing off on me."

"Including my bad habit of being late, apparently."

I froze, all expression slipping off my face. "What time is it?"

Sasuke looked at his watch. "Five minutes till four."

"Shit!" I hastily grabbed my things. "Why didn't you warn me, Naruto?!" I need to be in Tsunade's office in five minutes!

Naruto's hand grabbed my arm. "Relax, Sakura-chan. You still have five minutes." He was still smiling, apparently amused at how panicked I was.

"You mean I _only_ have five minutes! She hates it when I'm late." Once—and only _once_—I'd lost track of time and had shown up in Tsunade's office fifteen minutes late without a decent excuse. She'd given me about twenty lists of symptoms to diagnose the diseases and a medical dictionary and had just said, "Go." She had a sadistic side that made it easy to see why she was in the position she was in.

"We'll walk with you, then. She loves us!"

I paused for a moment. She _was_ a little fond of Naruto…and knowing that he and the Prince had kept me from getting to her on time…

"Fine," I said, standing up. "But we're speed walking just in case."

I threw everything down on my desk and met the boys in the hallway, walking briskly out of the clinic. I tapped my foot impatiently waiting on the elevator, annoyed at how Naruto stood there without a care in the world and Sasuke just looking like he was along for the ride. We were receiving more than a few stares—probably because of Prince Sasuke—and the extra attention was putting me further on edge.

I stepped into the elevator and pressed the button with more force than strictly necessary. It stopped on the second floor, and the girl waiting to get in blushed at the sight of the two men standing casually—_like they didn't have a freaking care in the world!_—next to me.

"I'll get the next one." She said demurely, letting the doors close.

I wanted to shriek.

"Chill, Sakura-chan." Naruto soothed. "We've both known Tsunade since forever. She's the Royal Family's doctor, you know." I think Naruto was trying to get me to focus on something else, and bless him it was working.

I tilted my head towards the Prince. "Is she really?" I asked. He grunted, and I took that as an affirmative response.

Naruto leaned over and whispered in my ear, "Have Tsunade tell you about his tattoo—"

"_Dobe_." Sasuke snapped. I bit my lip to keep from smiling. Even without looking I could tell he was glaring daggers at the blond.

I looked at him and found out I was right about the glaring. "So..." I began, trying to hide my amusement. "You have a tattoo…" Even though I've never found tattoos attractive, I still think it's hilarious that he would be allowed to mar his skin like that, especially due to his status. Maybe he had a rebellious phase?

His eyes were closed and I saw that he was trying to collect himself, probably to keep from snapping again. His nose was flared a little bit in agitation. "_Had_." He stressed. "I _had_ a tattoo." His eyes suddenly snapped open and pinned me down with a stare that I imagined felled lesser people, but I couldn't get over my earlier amusement enough to be intimidated. "Which is _not_ common knowledge, by the way."

"My lips are sealed." I said, and for emphasis I actually took my thumb and index fingers to my lips and zipped them shut. We stepped out of the elevator and into the hallway. "So can I know where it _was_ or would that be embarrassing?" Naruto barked out a laugh, and Sasuke glared at him again. I hid my smile when Sasuke actually looked around the hallway to see if there was anyone around who could listen in. I suddenly felt privileged that he was going to tell me such a secret.

"It was on my back." I opened my mouth to ask if he'd gotten a tramp stamp, but he interrupted me before I could. He crossed one arm over his body and tapped a place behind and a little to the left of his neck. "Here." I opened my mouth again and he shot me a look. "There is no scar and no, you cannot see." My mouth snapped shut again and I pouted.

I felt one hundred percent calmer walking down the hallway to Tsunade's office. I ended up opening the door exactly at four o'clock and saw Tsunade looking a little irritated at her desk. That faded though when she saw who was with me.

"Naruto." Tsunade greeted. "And Sasuke, too." Tsunade raised an eyebrow at me. "Why is it you keep befriending all of my patients?"

"Well," I began. "I _am_ a magnet for unwanted attention, after all." I'd just remembered what Kotetsu said Sasuke had called me back in Oto.

I slanted a glance towards Sasuke, and saw his eyebrows shoot into his hairline in surprise before he snapped a scrutinizing gaze down to me. I grinned innocently at him and batted my eyelashes.

"So Sakura-chan, are we still on for breakfast tomorrow?" Naruto asked.

I nodded. "I'm thinking eggs. Do you have any in your refrigerator that aren't green?"

Naruto huffed. "The only good eggs are hard-boiled. And they're found on ramen."

"Then we'll have ramen with our eggs."

His eyes lit up. "Really?!"

"No." I said, smiling when he turned a mock glare in my direction. "Nice try though."

"Sakura-chan!" He whined. "That's not fair!" I wanted to laugh, especially when Tsunade rolled her eyes. Naruto really does hate scrambled eggs though. With a passion that people normally reserve for serial killers. Helikes eggs in general, but scrambled eggs are just too bland. "Then I challenge you to make me a breakfast ramen!" He said, pointing at me. "With eggs!" He added quickly when I raised an incredulous eyebrow.

My eye twitched. Of course he had to go and challenge me. I never could turn down a good challenge, and he knew that, the bastard. "Fine." I said. "But whatever I make, you're eating."

He grinned, happy to get his way. "Deal."

"Now that you're done making breakfast plans," Tsunade said dryly. "Can we get on with it?"

I saw Naruto and Sasuke off and sat in my usual place in front of Tsunade's desk. I was still in my happy place, so I jumped about three feet in the air when a medical textbook was slammed on the table with several fill-in-the-blank diagrams and charts next to it.

Tsunade crossed her arms and smirked evilly. "Go."

I looked at the papers and pouted, blowing my bangs out of my eyes. _Damn it_.

I got home that night to find Hinata working on a paper at the kitchen table. The rest of the apartment was suspiciously silent, so I guessed Ino and Tenten had gone out.

"Hey Hinata," I greeted, putting my things down. I sat down next to her and looked at her seriously. She looked up and I felt a little guilty distracting her, but this was an emergency. The white-eyed girl cocked her head to one side, curious. "How do I make a breakfast ramen?"

We ended up having ramen for dinner that night, using Tenten and Ino as our guinea pigs. Hinata had been eager to help me when she found out that this was for Naruto. She hadn't ever said anything, but it was pretty obvious she liked the man. The first time I'd introduced them she had blushed a thousand shades of red. I had looked to see my blond friend's reaction to that and he looked completely unaware of the situation. Typical.

Hinata and I finally ended up with something presentable, finally releasing our two other roommates when we were all stuffed and a little green in the face. I'm never putting bacon in ramen again…

I presented Naruto with our concoction the next morning, subtly mentioning that Hinata had really been the brains of the operation and that he should thank her. Okay, maybe it wasn't so subtle, but I really did try to make him like Hinata through his stomach.

It was Thursday, which meant I didn't have class. I went to work and completed a normal and slightly boring routine by three, took home Tsunade's required reading, and sat down at the kitchen table with it. I made myself some tea and grabbed a carton of grape tomatoes to snack on while I read. I didn't always like doing my reading out of my room, since I was slightly paranoid someone was watching me, but no one was supposed to be home until six, so I had at least two hours to myself.

I was three chapters and seven pages worth of notes into _Something to Think About! An Introduction to Clinical Neuroscience _when there was a knock on the door. I reluctantly marked my place and opened the door.

My mouth dropped of its own accord. "Pri—Sasuke?" I asked, almost forgetting that he asked me to call him by his first name.

He gave me a dry look. "Dobe…" He muttered under his breath. He handed me an envelope. "This is from Naruto."

"Doing errands for him now?" I asked amusedly, opening the envelope and taking out a handwritten letter from the blond.

"I owed him a favor." That made more sense, especially remembering those few years ago when the same man in front of me coaxed me into settling the debt we had between us. Well, debt according to him. I still hold that he doesn't owe me a thing.

"Would you like to come in?"

He looked unsure for a moment before finally entering, and I motioned him to the kitchen table. When I came back after getting him a mug of tea, he was paging through my textbook and a few tomatoes were missing.

"You ate my tomatoes." I accused playfully, sitting down to his left. I took the chair around the corner from him, so we could talk without twisting our heads.

"I did." He admitted, taking another one and popping it in his mouth. "Are you ever not reading a medical textbook?"

"Sometimes I read medical articles." The Prince gave a short laugh at that. "But it's homework, so I've got to get it done. So tell me, what did Naruto do for you that he's actually making you hand-deliver letters to my apartment?"

He rolled his eyes. "I didn't actually know where he was sending me. He just gave me your address. And he…" He said the next part a little low. "He saved me from a fangirl riot."

I couldn't help the giggles, imagining Sasuke in the middle of a crowd of crazy women fighting for his life. "Poor baby…"

He glared. "Do you know how scary it is when women are tipping _cars_ to try and get a photo with you?"

I laughed harder at that. "Come on," I said. "You have to admit it's a little funny." I put a hand dramatically over my heart. "Our great Prince….he can move armies through a war, but show him a mob of women and he runs for it."

I ignored his dirty look.

"You heard the thing about the cars, right?" He asked me dryly.

"Oh, I heard you all right. But come on, aren't you the least bit flattered?" He raised an eyebrow at this, and I had to imagine memories of body-builder women chasing after him were running through his mind. Well…they were probably pretty normal sized, but the body-builder imagery stayed in my head. "Those women adore you. I've never met anyone who has anything bad to say about you. Everyone thinks you're the hottest thing that ever walked the earth. Isn't it nice to be liked?" His sudden smirk and amused expression surprised me, so I went through my monologue in my head to see if I'd said anything. Oops. I'd sort of just implied I thought he was very attractive. "Everyone meaning your fan base."

He hummed an agreement, but he still hadn't wiped that stupid smirk off his face.

"Your fangirls. I meant your fangirls."

"So you don't think I'm attractive?" Damn that smirk.

_Quite the opposite_, I thought in my head. He was possibly _one_ of the most attractive things on earth. I admit it, but I wasn't about to tell him that for fear of inflating his already bursting ego. "You're actually quite ugly." I told him simply. "A large mole on your face would complete the look."

I had to commend him for not slipping. If someone had called me ugly I surely would have stopped smiling even for a moment. Sasuke didn't though. I'm guessing years of being in the public eye trained him to do a perfect poker face whenever he needed to. It was then I realized how much that must suck. I couldn't imagine having to smile for a camera on one of my bad days. Or knowing that one slip in my facial expression could mean my face was on the cover of some tabloid the next day.

"No hunchback?" He asked, playing along.

I raised my eyebrow. "If you have a hunchback at twenty-three you have other things to worry about than being ugly."

That got a snort out of him. "And what about you? Who says you're so attractive?"

It took _all_ of my willpower not to let my slight smile fall. Sasuke made this look easy. "I am gorgeous." I said playfully smug.

"I don't know…" He said teasingly. "You're awfully muscular for a girl."

"You have long eyelashes for a boy." I countered.

"You…" he stopped abruptly. "Are annoying."

"You used that one yesterday." I pointed out.

"It still fits." He deadpanned. I stuck my tongue out at him and he rolled his eyes in response.

It seemed so strange that the Prince of Konoha was sitting here at my dining room table joking with me like we'd been friends for years. He was relaxed in his chair, arms folded over his chest and one leg crossed at the ankle. And here I was, talking to him like he _wasn't_ nobility! I have no doubt that if anyone said these things otherwise they'd be publicly flogged. Though I guess that doesn't really happen, since I haven't ever heard of anyone actually doing it, and Sasuke is in public a lot. Which reminds me…

"I'm not keeping you from anything, am I?"

He shook his head. "I needed some time off."

I nodded in understanding. I would probably go crazy after awhile, too.

"Am I keeping you from anything?" He asked.

I smiled a little. "Clinical Neuroscience."

"So…nothing then."

"Nothing that can't wait." I popped a tomato in my mouth and Sasuke actually glared at me.

"There's only one more left." He stated, obviously willing to fight for it.

"So it seems…"

We stared at the lone grape tomato for a moment, each tense and waiting for the other to strike first. I couldn't wait any longer. I dove…

…only to have my hands meet the cool wood of the table.

"Your reflexes suck." Sasuke stated, holding the carton out as far as one arm could reach. I grabbed his bicep with both hands and started pulling it towards me. It wasn't doing a whole lot of good since the Prince was unnaturally strong despite his leaner muscles. Of course, this was something I had known since the very moment he'd refused to let me go when I first met him.

"But I am awfully muscular for a girl, remember?" I pulled on his arm harder, leaning over a corner of the table with one knee balanced precariously on said table. It was barely giving…

"My long eyelashes and I are laughing at you."

"Well, you _are_ the gay one…"

He finally faltered. Unfortunately, his arm came down faster than I thought and I had to brace myself on something to keep me from toppling in his lap. I put my hands on his shoulders to steady myself. By the time my muscles finally stopped my descent, my face was a little too close to his for my liking. My eyes widened a little and I willed myself not to blush but felt my face heating up instantly. I was about to scramble off of him with many awkward apologies but his next words made me freeze.

"That's not funny." He was…pouting?

"Are you mad about the gay comment?" That earned me deeper frowning. "Sasuke." I deadpanned. "_No one_ thinks you are gay. Not even your gay fans think you are gay. Rainbows _die_ at the sound of your name." Okay…now he wasn't pouting so much as giving me a dry look. "I promise never to question your sexuality again."

He thought for a moment. "Fine."

"…unless you give me a reason to." I finished quickly.

His eyes narrowed at an alarming rate. "Sa—"

At that moment, the front door opened and I heard the sound of shopping bags being juggled. "Hey Sakura!" Ino's voice came through. "I have the most wonderful…" She finally saw who I was (still) hovering over and her purse fell from her limp shoulder about the time her jaw dropped. With no warning, her knees gave and she collapsed on the floor.

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**Author's Notes: **To make up for the lack of Sasuke in the last few chapters, I put extra of him in here. I hope you all enjoy reading this as much as I love writing it, because I'm thrilled to get to write interactions between Sasuke and Sakura again. I'll be honest though, Sasuke won't appear in every chapter, because he's a Prince and he's got stuff to do. I'm trying to keep this realistic, and he will be in most chapters, but just work with me here. As always, please review and let me know what you think!


	8. Like the Reddest Rose

**Author's Notes: **You all are really good people for putting up with my crap for so long. I promise I mean to get writing, but, you know, life and all that.

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Title: Love and in War

Rating: T (or PG-13)

Summary: The first time I met Prince Sasuke was the night he saved my life. I never thought I would see him again, and I certainly never expected to fall in love with him.

Pairings: SasuSaku

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 8: Like the Reddest Rose

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"Ino!" I yelled, watching the blonde collapse in front of me. I awkwardly scrambled off of Sasuke (almost slipping in my haste, which would have caused my face in his lap) before running over to Ino on the floor. I rolled her onto her back and checked her heart rate and her breathing just in case. The Prince knelt opposite me, looking on with a bit of concern.

"She's fine." I said. "It's probably just the shock. Can you help me get her to the couch?"

Sasuke stood and didn't even wait for my help. He hooked one arm under Ino's knees and one behind her back and lifted her like it was nothing at all. He carried her to the couch and set her down with a gentleness I wouldn't have expected from the man who marched into an interrogation room with a murderous intent. I walked over to them and felt along my roommate's scalp for any sign that she'd hit her head on the hardwood. I felt relief rush through me when there was nothing. I turned to look at the Prince again and found him smirking…and rather smugly at that.

"What?" I asked almost warily.

His smirk just grew bigger. "So I'm guessing I have a fan?"

"Stop smirking." I told him. He just raised his eyebrow, clearly amused. "She probably has low blood sugar."

"_That's_ the excuse you came up with?"

"Yes." I told him, even though neither of us knew it was true.

He started a slow, disbelieving nod. "So the fact that she wasn't jittery or weak when she walked through the door is from…?"

I stared at him, caught. How does he know the symptoms of low blood sugar?

He shrugged, seeming to understand my silent question. "Hypoglycemia is common during boot camp, especially for new recruits."

I stared at him harder. "I'm not inflating your ego." At that point, I decided never to show him the poster of him in Ino's room, and _especially_ not the picture slideshow of him that was the blonde's screensaver on her laptop.

He smirked again, in an "it's too late" fashion. I glared at him.

Ino stirred on the couch, catching my attention for a moment. I looked back at the Prince a little warily. How would Ino react when she woke up? If she saw Sasuke she might faint all over again. "You…should probably go."

The smirk was gone, and he nodded in understanding.

"Sorry." I apologized, walking him the short ways to the door. "I didn't know that she would…have hypoglycemia." He snorted a little bit, but I think the intent of the message got across. He was slipping his shoes on when I asked if this sort of thing happened a lot.

"More than you think." He said. "One time it was the former Mizukage's wife. _That_ was embarrassing." I blinked at him. "I was surprised _you_ didn't."

I smiled a little, opening the door. "Give me some credit. Besides, you're only human."

He froze for a split second, looking at me with an expression that was so quick I didn't have time to decipher what it meant. He stepped into the hallway. "Tell her I hope she gets better."

"Will do. And thanks for Naruto's letter."

He nodded as a form of goodbye and left. I shut the door and turned around to see Ino sitting up on the couch. I went and sat next to her.

"How are you feeling?" I asked.

"What happened?" She asked a little groggily.

"You fainted. I'm pretty certain you didn't hit your head though."

"But…why?" She scrubbed her face with her hands. "I just remember coming back and…" She looked at me, and at that point she saw the kitchen table out of the corner of her eye. She looked at it fully and noticed her shopping bags on the ground. "I saw…Prince Sasuke…? That can't be right. There's no way he was here, right Sakura?"

How in the world was I going to break this to her? "Ino…" I began a bit hesitantly. "Look…"

Her eyes hardened a little. "Sakura…"

"It's not what you think…he was just here to—"

"He was _here_?!" She screeched, standing up and pacing the living room. "And I fainted in front of him? I must look like such an idiot!" She stopped. "Why was he here?"

"We're sort of acquaintances?" I rose my voice to make it a question at the last minute, wary of her reaction.

"You've known him? All this time you've _known him_?! How could you keep something like that?"

"It's not like that..."

"You _know_ how much I like him! How could you keep this a secret?!"

"I haven't been."

"Then when did you meet him?"

I sighed, knowing that either answer I gave her would get me into trouble. Oh well, I'll at least get the whole story out, I guess. "I met him a few years ago."

"_WHAT?!_" She glared at me. "So all this time—"

"I met him _once_ a few years ago and I didn't think I would ever see him again."

"You said you'd never been to Konoha before you moved here."

"I hadn't." I lowered my head, feeling a little guilty but not knowing why. "He went to Otogakure."

The blonde turned a mean, sarcastic look in my direction. "One night stand?"

I stood up quickly to fully face her. "He saved my life!"

Ino froze, and I vaguely registered the front door opening and closing.

"What's going on?" I heard Hinata ask.

"_You_." Ino accused, completely ignoring Hinata. "You're the reason Neji was shot."

I lowered my head and my voice. "Yes."

"He nearly _died_." She said, teeth clenched.

"You think I don't know that?!" I looked back at her incredulously. "You think I don't have to live with that?"

Ino opened her mouth again, a dirty look on her face when Hinata interrupted. "Ino…that also means she was the one who saved Neji from bleeding to death." I looked towards her, a little grateful for her help. Tenten was there as well, but she looked like she didn't know what to say.

"Stop it!" Ino said, clenching her fists in frustration. "Stop being so damn perfect all the damn time!"

"…What?" I asked.

"Can't you just give the rest of us one little victory? You've taken every source of pride from us and now you've taken our Prince, too? Go back home you Rice Fields redneck whore."

I think I stopped breathing, feeling like I'd just been hit in the chest.

"Ino!" Tenten yelled.

"You know what, screw you, Sakura. I don't need your help to win Prince Sasuke over." With that, she stomped off to her room and I heard the door slam loudly.

We all stood there in silence for a moment. I still felt the ache in my chest. It wasn't my fault that we knew each other…but I felt…guilty? I shouldn't feel guilty…I…I like spending time with him. Why is it such a bad thing if we're friends? Or almost friends? It's so hard to think here, in such a tense environment. I need to get out of here. I slowly walked towards the door and put my shoes on.

"Sakura?" Hinata asked.

"It's probably best if I'm not here tonight." I looked at Hinata. "I'm sorry. Back then, I never meant…" But I couldn't finish the sentence, so I gave her another apology before slipping out the door.

It was getting dark when I showed up at Naruto's apartment. He answered the door a little confused. I tried to hold myself together, I really did, but the moment I saw those innocent, concerned eyes of his I felt my lower lip wobble.

In proper Naruto fashion, he panicked. "Oh shit…um, come in. Want some chocolate? Girls like that, right? Or a chick flick…I think there's one coming on. How about a joke making fun of men? Why can't men get mad cow disease?" I stared at him, glassy eyed at this point, waiting for the answer. "Because they're all pigs!"

I couldn't help it, I burst into tears. The whole pig reference reminded me of Ino and our fight. I didn't stand there for long before I felt arms wrap around me. "What's wrong, Sakura-chan?" He asked.

"I'm too perfect and my roommates hate me." I said, though my voice was muffled by his shirt.

"You're not perfect." He said, and then he tensed up. "Wait! I didn't mean it like that! Um…I meant that you're perfect just the way you are." He took a deep breath, probably to give himself a minute to think to avoid saying the wrong thing. "Look, Sakura-chan, no one else I know would have stayed in that operating room and stitched me up. You're the bravest, most selfless, strongest girl that I know, and I work in the military." He wiped a tear away. "Don't let anything Ino says get to you, okay?"

"How'd you know it was Ino?"

"Because the other two have a bit more sense than she does." I gave him a look, considering he was talking about Ino and, while we were currently fighting, she is still one of my close friends. "You know it's true." Naruto said, responding to my expression. "Ino gets crazy sometimes."

I let out a short laugh. He was right. Ino was really sensitive about…everything. She was the type of girl that was _always_ right. I know I shouldn't be talking bad about her, but it made the pain in my chest go away that much faster.

Naruto took me over to his couch and sat me down. Not for the first time I was impressed by the blond's apartment. It was a one bedroom, one bathroom apartment, but it was _nice_. Nicer than I'd thought a bachelor in the military would ever keep his apartment. Of course, he'd admitted this had been his college graduation present from his parents, and it had been paid for so he never had to pay rent.

"So," he started. "Want to tell me what happened?" He probably felt comfortable to ask now that I'd stopped crying. If there was one thing Naruto was good at, it was listening. Sometimes he was a complete loudmouth, offering outrageous and hilarious solutions to my problems. But when something was really wrong, he just sat there and listened like he's doing right now.

I turned towards him and clasped my hands as a nervous gesture. Then I unclasped them and just let them rest in my lap. "Yesterday…wasn't the first time I met Sasuke."

He raised an eyebrow, and then lowered it after a moment and nodded in understanding, like he'd just figured something out. "You're the girl from Oto, aren't you?"

This man was so much smarter than everyone gave him credit for.

It was my turn for my eyebrows to raise. "How'd you know?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Teme and I have been best friends since childhood, he tells me stuff like that. Not to mention he sort of had to give me the story after Neji came back shot." I ducked my head a little at that. "_And_ the news story ran for a few days after Teme got back." He must have seen my eyes widen, because he waved away the slight fear that had arisen inside me. "Just rumors though. The news could never put together anything concrete."

I nodded. The story hadn't even been reported in Oto. It was probably censored off the air since so many influential people were involved. "Right…so that's when I met him. And then he came by today to deliver your letter."

Naruto winced. "Sorry."

"Ino would have found out eventually." I said. "Especially since Neji dropped by the other day and recognized me. Word would have gotten to her one way or another. Anyway," I cleared my throat to get back on topic. "Ino came home when Sasuke was still in the apartment, she saw him and…fainted." The blond actually threw his head back and laughed at that. "It's really not funny," I said, but I was laughing too, so I don't think my point got across.

Naruto was one of the few people who knew how far Ino's obsession with Sasuke went. He'd accidentally gone into her room thinking it was mine when he was still getting used to the layout of my apartment. I had to go and rescue him since he had just been standing in the middle of her room, like someone who couldn't tear their eyes away from a train wreck. He saw the poster of Sasuke, the picture slideshow, the doll made to look like Sasuke (all three of them), and various other Royal Family knickknacks Ino had laying around. I'd had to drag him out of her room in a "yes this is my roommate's obsession we don't really talk about it" fashion.

"Ino woke up and asked about it." I began again. "She got mad when I told her I'd met him a few years ago, some words were exchanged, and…here I am." I gave him a smile that was obviously fake.

Naruto rolled his eyes. He muttered "crazy bitch" under his breath, which I'm not sure I was supposed to hear. At least he was saying it about Ino and not about me. Naruto wouldn't talk about me like that under threat of death. He turned back towards me. "So do you want to stay here tonight?"

I looked a little sheepish. I hated putting people out of their way. "Do you mind?"

"Of course not." He grinned. "We'll have a real sleepover! With junk food and a movie!" His grin fell a little bit. "Still want to catch that chick flick?" He asked a little tensely, and I could tell he was having to force the words out.

"Actually…can we watch something where the bad guys get their asses handed to them?" I didn't need romance right now…I needed something that involved an epic fight between the forces of good and evil.

The grin was back. "One action movie, coming up!"

That night, we ate probably half of the junk food in Naruto's apartment while watching a really excellent action movie. We pulled off all the cushions on his couches and made a place to lay down in the middle of the floor, where we watched said action movie on his impressively sized television. After the movie ended, we stayed up talking until well into the morning. Even though we were both going to be so tired when we had to wake up, it was worth it.

I insisted taking the couch to avoid putting Naruto out of his bed in his own home. Also, Naruto's couch was probably more comfortable than my bed, so I jumped at any chance to sleep there. Despite everything that had happened that day, I slept pretty soundly and peacefully. I expected some sort of emotional turmoil to keep me awake, but I was calm and fell asleep with an ease that surprised me.

I woke up the next morning to the smell of bacon, and when I opened my eyes I saw that it was still dark out. Inwardly, I groaned, since it seemed as though I had gone to bed mere minutes earlier. I propped myself on my elbows and saw that Naruto was in the kitchen, making breakfast still in his pajamas. He must have heard the blankets shifting, because he looked over to me and gave a small wince. "Sorry," he said. "I didn't want to wake you up for another fifteen minutes."

I yawned. "What time is it?" I asked, and then a thought dawned on me. "And since when do you get up before I do?"

"It's five thirty." He said after looking at the clock on the stove. "I figured you would want to go home and shower before class. And I'm only awake because Teme is forcing me to go jogging in thirty minutes, the bastard."

If I hadn't been so tired I would have laughed, but it was all I could do was smile sleepily as I got off the couch and sat at one of the barstools against the island in the kitchen. "He makes you exercise? That's _horrible_." I put a hand over my heart for dramatic emphasis.

"It's not the exercise I mind…it's the six in the morning exercise I mind. I don't see why we can't go jogging after work." He pouted and blew his bangs upward. "Sadist." He remarked.

I actually laughed at that. "I'm sure it won't be that bad…besides, you'll get it over with and then tonight you can watch that modeling show you love so much."

He glared at me. Under some circumstance that I can't remember, Naruto told me he'd watched _The Runway_ once. I've never seen it, but Ino played it loud enough in the living room that I knew it was some sort of show with a bunch of fashion designers—the men mostly very, _very_ gay—making outfits for the runway. Ever since Naruto had told me that, I'd teased him about it.

We had cereal and bacon for breakfast along with some orange juice. I was almost reluctant to drink the milk, since whatever carton in Naruto's fridge is usually questionable, but I managed to quickly glimpse the expiration date on the carton and saw that he'd just bought it. I would trust Naruto with my life. I did not trust him with milk. The worst part of it was that the man had an iron stomach, and only the most rotten of milks would make him queasy. I'd grown up on a farm and liked my milk practically mooing. Thankfully, Naruto and I shared a love for whole milk. Ino bitched if we bought anything but skim, which tasted like water to me. She'd once chewed me out for buying whole milk because I was the only one in the apartment who liked it. I told her to go and buy her own damn milk.

Speaking of…

"I should probably go." I sighed, getting up and putting my dishes in the dishwasher. "Thanks for breakfast and good luck running." I looked down at the t-shirt and sweatpants he'd lent me, telling him I would wash them and give them back to him the next time I saw him.

I bit the bullet and took a cab home. Truthfully, I preferred walking everywhere, but I was exhausted and didn't feel like doing anything physical this morning. I don't know how Naruto was going to survive his run, but then again he's a lot more athletic than I am.

The apartment was silent when I opened the door, but that was to be expected. It was almost six fifteen, so that meant everyone would be waking up within the next hour. I walked to my room and was just opening the door when Ino's door opened next to mine. I swallowed once as Ino stepped out. She looked like she had just gotten out of bed, but that didn't stop her from becoming instantly alert when she saw me.

"Ino…" I started, willing to try to forgive and forget.

She narrowed her eyes and looked at my attire, which was not what I had left the apartment in yesterday and were obviously men's clothes. She sneered at me and gave a, "Whore" before retreating back to her room and slamming the door. I winced a little and went into my own room, not doing anything but leaning against the door for a moment in thought. I really was depressed, so to keep myself from crying I remembered what Naruto had told me last night and gave myself a quiet pep talk.

I couldn't help but let a few tears fall in the shower, though.

My _Human Systems _class that day was grueling, simply because the very last thing that I wanted to do right now was take notes. The worst part of it was that I actually looked how I felt, since one of my friends in the class actually leaned over in the middle of the lecture and asked me if anything was wrong. I just nodded at her and whispered, "bad day," hoping that she would take it as an excuse and luckily for me she did.

Work was even worse, since there had been a four-year-old boy who was really sick and needed a shot. He had been absolutely hysteric about the needle, and had started screaming when his mother held him down and told him that this was the only way. It got so bad that a few nurses poked their head in, wondering if there was anything they could do to help. And it was about that time that the child's flailing got out of control and I got kicked across the mouth. I reeled back, tasting blood as my lip had split open, rather badly in fact. Two nurses rushed in to assist, but they weren't really doing a good job as their attention was divided between avoiding the flailing limbs of the child, the mother's hysteric apologies, and the blood that was currently sliding down my chin.

I walked over to a jar on the counter and yanked a sucker out of it, using all sorts of choice language in the process that probably would have gotten me in big trouble if anyone were paying attention. I went to the child's side and waved the red candy in front of his face. He stopped moving, as I expected he would. Brat.

"Do you want this?" I asked him, and he nodded vigorously. "Then you have to say the ABC's. Go." He started the song, and another nurse seemed to realize what I was doing, and she managed to administer the shot with the tiniest needle in existence without the boy noticing. He finished the song and I handed him the candy, finally grabbing some gauze for myself and leaving the room when the other nurses assured me they would finish up.

I walked out of the room and passed the reception desk, where Kakashi was flirting with the blonde receptionist. She had been giggling at something he'd said, but when she looked at me and saw the stress on my face, her eyes widened. The silver-haired Major followed her gaze, and I saw his one visible eye zero in on the blood leaking through the gauze. His eyebrow rose.

I stopped walking, giving him a flat look. "You're here again." I told him rather dryly. Kakashi seemed to appear quite often in the hospital, but I never really knew why half the time since he never had appointments in the clinic anymore.

"Cadet broke his arm in training." He said, but it didn't sound like he was really interested in that. He reached up and moved my hand away from my mouth, looking at my lip. My cheek ached a little as well, so I'm guessing I was forming a nice bruise.

"You didn't call an ambulance?"

"Ambulance rides are expensive." He said, grabbing my chin and moving my head so he could look at my cheek. "Mental patient?" He asked.

"Four-year-old." I answered.

"Same thing." He let go of me, and I put the gauze right back to my lip when I tasted blood again. "Go suck on some ice."

The little boy and his mother came to the desk to pay, the boy howling as if he'd felt any pain at all. He turned a watery glare at me. "You tricked me!" He yelled around his sucker. "I hate—"

Suddenly, he stopped all noise, staring wide-eyed behind me for a moment before darting behind his mother's legs. I turned around and saw Kakashi smiling too happily, which was just suspicious. I raised an eyebrow at him, but he merely turned that smile down to me. "Yes, Sakura?"

I narrowed my eyes in scrutiny, but then gave up. I'm too tired to deal with this. "Nothing. Tell your cadet I hope he gets better."

"Sure thing!"

Way too happy…

I left after saying goodbye, going to the bathroom to examine the damage. It could have been worse, I suppose. Once it stopped bleeding it wouldn't really be noticeable. Not even my cheek was that bad. I thought it would have been purple by now but it was just an angry red. I learned the hard way that it was just as tender as any purple bruise though.

For lunch, I could only eat the carrots I'd brought with me since the rest of my food was relatively salty. I'd taken one bite of pretzel before I'd realized my mistake, and then spent the remainder of my lunch hour sucking on ice and being generally surly. Tsunade called me to her office, and I was only too happy to leave the clinic for a bit. She took one look at me and winced on my behalf.

"To give you a little break, I'm giving you the rest of the day to talk to a patient in room 580. Also, your lesson with me at four is cancelled today."

I thanked God for the reprieve, but then remembered that the fifth floor was split between several different wards, one of which being the Psychiatric Ward. I wanted to believe that there was no way Tsunade would be so cruel to take me into the Psychiatric Ward when I was having this bad a day, and because I had just been assaulted by a boy who I'm pretty sure qualifies for the Psychiatric Ward, but lo and behold I had underestimated the woman yet again. I got to the fifth floor and found the room number grouped inside a range of numbers beside an arrow pointing at the Psychiatric Ward.

I scrubbed my face a little, making note that I had two hours before I could leave, and scanned my ID to get inside the ward. Room 580 wasn't that hard to find, because it was at the end of an otherwise barren hall with two security officers standing on either side of a rather heavy looking metal door. I checked the room number twice before showing the guards a slip of paper Tsunade had signed. They let me in, offering me a can of mace which I promptly refused. They told me to yell if there was any trouble.

Naturally, this made me very nervous. What exactly was I getting into here? I walked into the room apprehensively, finding it a little dark since the only light source was coming through the window. There was a man sitting on the couch under the window, reading a thick book. He looked up as the heavy metal door shut behind me, a lock sliding into place. I felt my heartbeat quicken, but tried to hide it as I gave him my best smile, managing not to wince when my lip stung.

"Hi!" I told him, gradually moving a bit closer. "I'm Tsunade's apprentice, Haruno Sakura. She sent me here to talk with you for the afternoon, if you wanted."

He placed the book down on the couch and gave me his own beaming smile. "Hi. I'm Juugo."

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**Author's Notes: **I love incorporating characters into this story. By the way, all the characters with names are from the actual manga and/or anime. I'm trying not to add any OCs just as a personal challenge. The only ones so far are the police officers from the first and second chapter, because the idea hadn't hit me yet. Also, all the numbers in the story are significant! But those I'll be really impressed if you all can get, since I add or subtract to get some numbers. Also, this story may be Sakura-centric but Naruto is one of my favorite characters to write. I love him to bits. As always, please review and let me know what you think!


	9. Wicked

**Author's Notes: **Honestly, this chapter barely made it out. I've been swamped lately and I'm sorry. Can't really promise anything on updates as this summer/semester has been Hell.

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Title: Love and in War

Rating: T (or PG-13)

Summary: The first time I met Prince Sasuke was the night he saved my life. I never thought I would see him again, and I certainly never expected to fall in love with him.

Pairings: SasuSaku

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 9: Wicked

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I gaped at the ginger haired man's unexpected introduction. It had been really pleasant, and nothing in his gaze, his smile, or his movements suggested the need to be so completely guarded and isolated. In fact, this didn't look like any other room I had seen in the entire building. The bed was the same, but this room looked to be more for actual permanent living than for the temporary stays that most mental illness patients were prone to. Normally, they were moved to a mental hospital where they could receive more specific care. This man seemed to have taken up permanent residence here.

Still, despite his smile, I couldn't help but notice that all the furniture was bolted to the floor.

"You can sit down if you want to." He said, looking excited to have company for once. I chose the armchair in the room, so that I could look at him without having to turn my body. Also, sitting next to him would make me nervous since I've got absolutely no idea what he is capable of. Tsunade hadn't even shown me his file. "Tsunade has mentioned you a couple times. She never said you'd be so pretty."

I blushed at the forwardness. "Um…thank you."

"What happened to your cheek?" He asked, genuinely curious.

I smiled, a little embarrassed. "I got into a fight with a four-year-old and lost."

He laughed, and I felt a little bit more relaxed. I couldn't even fathom a reason that this sweet, handsome guy was in here. He didn't look like he'd be much of a threat to a spider, much less to me. But then again I was here to keep him company, and, possibly more importantly, so I wouldn't take out my retreating frustration and anger on the rest of the clinic.

"So, Juugo," I began brightly. "Tell me about yourself."

He looked forlorn at that question, and I almost regretted asking it. "Well…I have PTSD…"

I waved my hand and interrupted him. "No, no, no…that's not what I meant. I mean what do you like to do, read?" I asked, looking at the book on the couch. Although Post Traumatic Stress Disorder wouldn't make a lot of sense. It was normally characterized by people who would have extreme panic attacks or go into depression after a traumatic event. Juugo was so young…what exactly had he gone through? And why was he completely cut off from the rest of the world? This wasn't healthy for a recovering patient!

Juugo looked at the book. "I was reading the Bible."

I raised my eyebrows. "That's impressive."

"I've read the Quran, the Torah, the Vedas…I think I've read them all." I blinked at his statement, not quite sure what to say to that. I knew what I believed in, but it wasn't really hospital policy to try and counsel patients on religion. "Miss Haruno, do you believe in a forgiving god?"

"Do _you_?" I asked him.

"I…I want to, so badly, but I don't think that I can be forgiven."

I frowned. "Juugo…don't say things like that…"

"I've done horrible things, Miss Haruno…horrible things. That's why I can't be let out of this room."

"You _can't_?" I asked. Was Tsunade actually holding him here?

"I can't let them release me. I _have_ to stay in here, or I might…" He closed his eyes, his body shaking with memories and guilt. "I'm sorry, Miss Haruno." He said, his voice a lot calmer. "_That _is not something to be talked about in front of a lady."

"Well I'm hardly a lady." I swallowed, memories flashing through my own head. Zaku falling to the ground, the smoking gun in my shaking hands. For those few minutes until the cops arrived, I thought I was going to be stuck where Juugo is now—feeling guilty my entire life and letting it consume me. Even though Zaku hadn't died, the mere idea that he could have by my hand was more than enough to give me nightmares over it. "I believe you can be forgiven, no matter what you do Juugo." I said softly. "There…there will always be someone to forgive you, even when you can't forgive yourself. You have to look at it through their eyes. You might be a monster to some, but you're a hero to others." I thought about Neji lying on the concrete, his life depending entirely on me and Sasuke to protect him. "Forgiving yourself is the first step but…that takes time…a lot of it." I wrapped my arms around my waist as some sort of a barrier. This was getting really personal, after all. I hadn't really told anyone how I'd felt after it all. The Prince knew a lot of it, but he didn't know that I'd had nightmares for months after the incident with the word _murderer_ floating around in my head. "I know everyone tells you to forgive yourself, but it just doesn't happen overnight, you know?"

I gave a little half smile at him and found his mouth slightly open. He returned my little smile. "Thank you, Miss Haruno."

"You can just call me Sakura."

We ended up switching topics to something more light hearted, and I stayed way past the time I was supposed to. I was glad that Tsunade had cancelled the lesson that day, because I would have been diagnosing people with a medical dictionary for sure. Juugo was really well educated, and he was four years older than me. He hadn't gone to college, I found out, but he said he always wished that he had. So he read on every topic to try to teach himself. He knew math, he knew science, he knew art and philosophy.

At four-thirty, Juugo cocked his head to one side. "Has your shift ended for today, Sakura?"

I smiled. "You want me gone that badly?"

"Not at all. But if you had plans…"

I thought about it, and really the only thing I had to do was go back to my apartment, which was undesirable for a lot of reasons right now. Ino currently thought I was a whore, and Tenten and Hinata had avoided my gaze for the brief moment that I saw them this morning. I didn't think that they hated me, but they were warier of me now.

"I wish I could just stay here." I mused to myself. At Juugo's look, I told him, "My roommates and I aren't getting along right now."

"What happened, if you don't mind my asking."

I decided that I was just going to tell him, since he might know what I should do. This man had such insight and wisdom for someone who was locked in the same room all day, every day. "I became acquaintances with someone my roommate has liked for a long, _long_ time."

"And she never told him she liked him?"

_Ha, no_. I thought. "She likes him more from a distance. She's never even met him." I didn't want to flaunt the fact that I knew the Prince. Tayuya, my college roommate at OU, used to brag about the people she knew and I always hated it, even though I never really cared.

Of course I was being a hypocrite a little bit on that. It amused me to no end that Ino had no idea Naruto was the Hokage's son. She hadn't ever been rude to him, per se, but she didn't exactly treat him like a friend. _That_ had always gotten on my nerves, that she didn't even bother to get to know the blond.

Juugo thought for a minute. "There isn't really a whole lot you can do." He said, and my stomach dropped, because that's the answer I was dreading. "I assume you're going to continue to see this person?"

_Maybe…not really…_I thought. He had a _lot _to do to spend a whole lot of time with little ol' me. And we weren't really even friends. We'd met twice, three times if you really stretched it since I'd been here, and that was really only because Fuzzy Brow—_Lee—_was in the hospital. I doubted I would see him while being around Naruto, since Naruto and I had known each other for months and I'd never seen him then. Once Lee left the hospital, why should I expect things to be any different? I settled on a safe, "Probably," to get the conversation moving again since I was on my way to over thinking it to death.

"Then your roommate is just going to have to get used to it. It's not fair of her to make you choose between her and her crush."

I sunk my head to my knees, which I had curled into myself an hour ago. "I just wish it was easy."

"If your friendships are too easy then you're doing it wrong."

I smiled, stretching my legs to the floor. "Thanks, Juugo. I guess I'd better go, though. I have to face the music sometime."

"You make it sound like you're going to see an executioner."

"You don't know my roommate."

I left, promising to stop by sometime next week. It was Friday, so I didn't exactly have to rush home and do homework. I dawdled a bit in the hospital, thinking about going to see Lee but leaving that for next week as well. I had seen him twice on Thursday, once to talk and then I stopped by after my shift but he had been asleep so I left him a note. He had also been asleep today when I left a daffodil on his nightstand, which I really hope didn't give him any ideas.

I got my things and trekked home, my anticipation growing the further I got. I was really nervous when I got on the elevator inside my apartment building, and I almost made the cowardly decision to hit the button to the ground floor and sleep at Naruto's again. But, then I decided that I hadn't worked three years to get my undergraduate degree at OU to be pushed out of my own apartment.

I unlocked the door, and I was actually a little relieved when I didn't see anyone on the way to my room. I left the door to my room open while I set my things down, setting my laptop on my bed so I could procrastinate a little before dinner. I really didn't want to do work right now.

I was leaned up against the headboard with my laptop in my lap, answering an e-mail, when Ino walked by my door in a tight red dress. She backtracked a little when she saw me, and sneered in my face. "Guess where I'm going?"

I thought for a moment about ignoring her, or saying something snarky just to agitate her, but I guess I just didn't have it in me to be that mean. I probably would have a few hours ago, but having a civilized talk with Juugo seemed to have helped my temper. So instead, I just looked at her and asked, "Where?"

"I'm going to a frat party." She said, flipping her hair. "The captain of the football team invited me."

I blinked at her, genuinely curious if she thought that was going to make me jealous. "Have fun." I told her, turning back to my laptop.

I didn't hear anything from her for a moment, but she finally hissed, "You're pathetic" before I heard her heels clicking into the kitchen, the front door opening and slamming behind her.

"Be safe." I whispered. Honestly, the frat parties had all sounded like bad news to me, but then again I had mostly encountered them in Oto, where I'm sure they are much worse than they are here. Ino would probably be just fine.

I lifted my head at a knock on my door, and saw Hinata standing there, looking a bit nervous. "Dinner." She said, before walking away. I sighed for a moment, wondering if things were ever going to get back to normal. I put my computer on my desk and started to charge it, and followed Hinata into the kitchen. She was quieter than usual, even by her standards. Tenten was already seated at the table, looking at me a little curiously but otherwise not acting any stranger than usual. I looked back to Hinata, who was at the stove putting noodles in a bowl.

"Do you hate me?" I asked her softly.

The white-eyed girl sighed, putting the bowl down and turning to face me. "No…but I do wish you had told us sooner." She ran a hand through her hair. "Neji almost died…and it really rocked the whole family."

"I know…and I never meant to get anyone else involved. But…if Neji and Sasuke hadn't been there…" I couldn't stop the shiver that wracked my body. "They saved my life that night." Not to mention my freedom, since I probably would have gone to prison if the Prince hadn't been there backing me up.

"I know, Sakura." Hinata said. "And I know that you saved Neji, which I'm really thankful for…it's just a bit of a shock that I've been living with you for over a year and I've never known."

"I thought you two might be related…but I…I still don't like to bring it up. Not to mention what a horrible first impression that would have been."

Hinata smiled. "True." She said. And it was like a weight had been taken off of my shoulders because with that one look, I knew that it was okay between us again. I looked at Tenten, who caught my eye and smiled at me. She'd only been caught in the middle of things, so I doubt she'd ever had anything against me. Although she had been crushing on Neji for a long time now.

We ate a quiet dinner, which was normal since Ino was absent. The talk was relatively light, only dampening when the conversation centered around Ino and her temper. None of us worried though. Ino had a tendency to do things spontaneously, and when she did something stupid it was never life changing or self-harming. She would be fine, I told myself.

I woke up the next morning a little groggy, since I had stayed up ridiculously late the night before. The worst part of it was that I hadn't really been doing anything except flipping channels. I finally went to bed at around two, simply for the fact that my eyes were crossing. I was really going to regret staying up late on Monday morning, although I was feeling it even on a Saturday, since my internal alarm clock had me wide awake at 7 AM.

I went and made coffee for myself and then drank it during a rather relaxing bath. After that, I completed the reading I had and the rest of my homework, wondering what else I was going to do for the rest of the day. From the sounds in the kitchen, it sounded like some of my roommates were awake already.

I walked into the kitchen to find Hinata and Tenten talking over their own coffee. I knew from experience that Ino wouldn't be awake until noon at least. We talked for a bit, and then decided to walk to the mall since we had nothing better to do. Unanimously, we opted to leave Ino behind since she would hate being woken up—even if it was to go to the mall—and the fact that she was still angry at me.

The first place we went in the mall was the bookstore, and we all sauntered over to the romance section to look for something interesting. I regretted not putting on more foundation that morning, since the bruise on my cheek had become far more noticeable overnight and it was earning me a few stares. I thanked my luck that my entire cheek wasn't swollen. I opened a random book and pretended to be very interested in it when I caught myself on the receiving end of a curious look from one of the employees.

"_Oh, darling!" She gasped out as he kissed down the column of her throat. She reached down between their sweat-slicked bodies and grasped his—_

I snapped the book closed, already feeling my face burn in embarrassment. I turned to put the book back on the shelf and jumped rather embarrassingly when I saw a man leaning against the bookshelf. Clear amusement was written across his face as he raised an eyebrow at me. "Good book?" He asked.

I could only splutter, "No…I mean, yes. Only, um…if you're into that sort of thing. Which I am not. At all."

He looked at me innocently, and I had to admit to myself that he was pretty handsome. "You don't like knights rescuing damsels in distress?"

_Is that what the cool kids are calling it these days?_ I asked in my head, since I couldn't quite find the composure to say it out loud. Instead, I let out an intelligent, "Uh…" And then I felt my face get hotter since I knew he was teasing me. I steeled myself. "I think the damsel should at least _attempt _solving her own problems before relying on someone else to do it for her."

He leaned in closer, his bandanna-wrapped hair falling a little over his shoulders. I realized too late that he had cornered me against two bookshelves. The man smiled again when he saw my eyes widen. "But it's just so much more _fun_" his voice dropped an octave and he waggled his eyebrows, "when you have someone else to solve your problems for you."

Shit. Walked right into that one.

He laughed suddenly, backing off. "Sorry, sorry, I couldn't resist. I'm Shiranui Genma."

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "And I'm thoroughly embarrassed." I shook his hand when he offered it. "Haruno Sakura."

He blinked and then gave me a rather dry look. "Please tell me you're joking." I shook my head, and he let out a curse word that I actually didn't think was warranted. "Kakashi's going to kill me." He muttered.

"You know Kakashi?" I asked incredulously. Konoha was shaping up into a tiny, tiny city.

He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "He's sort of my boss."

My heart stuttered a little in panic. Kakashi would never let me live it down if he heard that I had been reading almost-sort-of porn. "How much do I have to pay you not to tell him anything?" I asked.

"I won't tell him if you don't mention that I was hitting on you."

I fluttered my eyelashes. "Oh you were? I hardly noticed."

He shot me the same dry look as earlier. "Or I could mention that I caught you reading porn and damn the consequences."

"It was not _porn_!" I hissed. "There was probably a plot in there _somewhere_."

"They have sex in the first chapter."

I paused. "Fine. You were never hitting on me."

"Unless you want me to."

"What?"

He smiled in a way that I could only describe as wolfish. "You react in the most interesting ways when you get backed into a—"

"Friends!" I interrupted him with a squeak in my voice. "I'm here with people. Girls. I need to go find them so they don't lose me." I was slowly edging myself away, feeling entirely unnerved that his eyes were pinned to me the entire time. "Oh, hear that? They're calling me. I should really—"

"I don't hear anything." He looked amused again.

I laughed nervously. "Oh, then you should probably get your hearing checked. It was nice meeting you. I really need to go now. Goodbye." And with that I took the coward's way out and high tailed it out of there.

I found Hinata and Tenten in the Young Adult section, and they looked at me curiously since my face was still flushed and I was pretty sure they could hear my heart pounding.

"Go…we should…um...I'm ready to leave when you are!" I finished lamely.

"Are you feeling okay, Sakura? You look a bit…flustered." Hinata said.

Tenten looked at my empty hands. "Also, since when do you not buy books?"

"I'm fine!" I said a little too cheerfully. "Dandy, really. And I couldn't find anything."

"Nothing in the romance section?" Hinata asked.

"No." I squeaked. I practically pushed them back into the mall, my eyes scanning the area for any signs of Genma. Thankfully, for my sanity, he was nowhere to be found.

The next stop was for clothes. Looking through the racks gave me time to calm down a little. I ended up with a pair of jeans and a pile of discarded blouses that showed way too much cleavage for me to feel comfortable, even when I wasn't practically being hunted by handsome men who…

I shoved the blouses back onto the rack, and kept my head down while paying for my jeans. I had read the same situation dozens of times in romance novels, but I found out that reading about it was hardly preparation for the real thing.

We went home soon afterwards, after a walk around the mall revealed nothing else we were interested in having. The apartment was quiet when we arrived, and I put my jeans away in my room, noticing the lack of sound coming from Ino's room. Normally she had some sort of background music playing while she did anything. She was probably just asleep, though, since she hadn't gotten back by the time I had gone to bed last night at two AM. Either that or she had gone out again. Either way, I shouldn't be worrying about her. I wasn't her mother after all.

It was my turn to cook dinner that night, and I looked in the fridge for ideas. "Hey Tenten, can you call Ino and ask if she's going to be here for dinner?"

Tenten looked up from her place on one of the barstools. "Sure." I saw her reaching into her pocket before poking my head back in the fridge. Maybe I could do something easy, like a beef hot pot. Did we have everything for oden? Crap, no we didn't. Well, there was always the leftover fish from dinner a few nights ago…

"She's not answering." Tenten said.

"Maybe her phone is on silent." I said. Now what could I do with the fish…there was always sushi, I guess.

"You and I both know she never puts her phone on silent." That was true. It was always on except for when she was in class. "I'll go see if she's in her room."

I nodded. So for the sushi, I was going to need the fish…avocado…do we have any cucumber? Oh, there's some…I could fry the fish I guess, that would give it a nice—

"_Sakura!_"

I stood up in alarm, barely managing to miss banging my head in the process. I almost ran to Ino's room, since Tenten's voice had sounded so panicked. I wasn't exactly sure what I was going to find once I got there, but none of the images in my head were pretty. Sometimes working in the hospital made my imagination run a little wild, and I hoped my imagination was far worse than anything I would see. Actually, as I stepped inside the blonde's room, everything looked normal. Her bed wasn't made, but it never was, and everything looked to be in its usual state of "organized mess." I turned to her dresser and saw her casual earrings sitting on it, which made me pause a little. Ino had a set of small hoops that were her go-to earrings for casual days. In fact, she pretty much always wore them, but them being here didn't mean that something had happened. I looked to Tenten, who stood with Ino's purse in her hand. Ino _never_ left without her purse, except for last night when she'd had a clutch holding all of her things.

"That doesn't mean anything." I said, trying to convince myself to be rational. "Let's look for anything else before we panic."

The brunette started looking around the room for more things, and I went into Ino's bathroom and opened the door to her closet. I sifted through her dresses and even looked in her hamper, not seeing the red dress she had been wearing out last night. The shoes she had been wearing were missing as well. A scan of the clothes on the floor didn't reveal the red dress either. Her shower wasn't wet from a recent use, and there weren't any lingering droplets if she had taken a shower this morning. Her towel and washcloth were both dry.

"Sakura…" Tenten said from the doorway.

"I can't find anything that says she's been here recently…" I said. "Where's Hinata?"

"Taking a shower. Do you think she's…I mean, could she have…"

"I'm sure she's fine, wherever she is. Right now we should probably call the police."

Tenten shook her hands. "It hasn't been forty-eight hours…they're not going to do anything…"

"Let's at least go tell Hinata first…then we'll decide." I said, and we went and knocked on Hinata's door until she answered the door in her robe with her hair still dripping wet. "We think Ino's missing." And then we told her what evidence we had found. After a little debate, we decided to give her one more night and call the police in the morning if she still hadn't shown. But first we called her parents, and they expressed their concern when they said they hadn't heard from her either. We called her several more times, but each time our calls went to voicemail. She had other friends, but we didn't know their phone numbers.

I didn't get much sleep that night, since I kept laying in bed jumping at the slightest of noises. Even when I did sleep, it was restless and didn't last long. I just hoped Ino wasn't out there scared, or that we had done the right thing in not calling the police. After all, I had needed a night away from everything, maybe Ino did too. Still, I know she hated me right now…but wouldn't she have at least called Hinata or Tenten? I finally got up at five, my nerves too shot to sleep anymore. I checked Ino's room again to make sure I hadn't slept through her return, only to find it the same way Tenten and I had left it. After that, I could only sit in the kitchen trying to distract myself by making breakfast.

I reached into a cabinet for a mug and poured myself coffee, but not really feeling up to drinking any of it. Instead, I set it on the counter and put my head in my hands. This was all my fault. If I'd only said something from the beginning…she wouldn't have gotten so mad and she wouldn't have left. I could have told them dozens of times what had happened, but I was always too scared of what they would think. They were my first real friends in a long time…and the thought of them shying away from me terrified me to no end. How many times had Ino and I talked about Prince Sasuke? _How many_? And all it would have taken would be one time, and Ino would have understood…

"Ino?!" I lifted my head to see Tenten come into the kitchen in a frenzy, looking around and stopping when her eyes settled on me. "Oh…I heard…and I thought…" She was tearing up a little, and she wasn't alone. I was almost to tears as well.

"This is ridiculous!" I told her, my voice wavering. "I'm calling the cops. Go and wake Hinata."

"No need." Hinata said, walking into the kitchen. The dark circles under her eyes revealed that she'd gotten as little sleep as us.

I used Tenten's cell phone to call since it was the closest, and Tenten wasn't about to use it since she was almost in tears.

"Konoha Police Department, what is your emergency?"

I explained to them that my roommate had been missing for two nights, and that we were worried that something had happened to her. They said they would dispatch a patrol car to our apartment. I hung up the phone and relayed the information to my other two roommates.

Hinata was hanging up the phone as well, and I noticed her eyes were glassy. "Neji is coming over."

I smiled weakly at her. "Not Kiba?" I asked, thinking of the brunette and his rather large dog. I had run into them on a few occasions over the years, and Kiba and Akamaru were still in the tracking business for the military.

She shook her head. "They're out of the country. Neji has done this before, so I thought he might…" She trailed off, obviously not trusting her voice to stay strong for anything else.

I frowned. "I thought Neji was a bodyguard? Or secret service?"

She shook her head. "He's Special Forces. They use military to protect royalty and the Hokage out of the country."

That explained _a lot_, actually.

Hinata opened the door for a Neji a bit later, and I thought it was sad that he could wake up, get ready, and get over here before the police. He looked tired and a little pissed that he'd had to wake up at five thirty on a Sunday, but he was obviously trying to suck it up. Hinata took him to Ino's room, filling him in on everything on the way. I was surprised Tenten didn't go with him, considering she usually used any excuse to be around Neji more, but she didn't even look like she cared.

The police came soon after, and I stood and answered their questions with a weak voice and teary eyes. She was going to a frat party. She was with the captain of the football team. No, she didn't usually pull stuff like this. No, she wasn't the type of girl to sleep around. Yes, she was mad at someone in the apartment. Yes, she always called if she was going to sleep over at a friend's house. No, she wasn't answering her phone and yes, that was unusual for her.

Neji came from the room and introduced himself to the police in a way that only emphasized his natural born authority. He hadn't found much in her room, considering the clues we used to determine she was missing—the dry washcloth and towel, particularly—wouldn't have mattered anymore since they would have been dry anyway by now, and the rest was just circumstantial, like her earrings and her purse. None of us knew which frat party she went to, so the police had very little to go on. The one thing they did know was that she wasn't in jail.

The police got our phone numbers and told us they would call if they found anything, but they would go and talk to her parents before they did any investigating. They left, and Neji scoffed at them the minute the door was closed. "Investigating my ass. All they see is a wild college kid rebelling against her roommates—"

"Stop!" Tenten stood from where she had been sitting on the couch. "Ino isn't any of those things!" She walked closer to Neji. "She's not wild or rebellious and you don't even _know_ her…so…so just…" She looked like she was trying to hold it together, but she just couldn't, and Tenten was the first of us to burst into tears. To his credit, Neji was entirely calm throughout the whole thing. He even wrapped an arm around her when Tenten fell into his chest to cry. Hinata was the one with the soothing words, though.

Eventually, the commotion died down, and I went into my room for a moment. I cried for a minute in the silence. _It's all my fault_, I kept thinking. My mind was so full of _what ifs_ and _if onlys _that I was getting a slight headache. Not only that, the worry was gnawing at my stomach. I hadn't eaten anything since I'd woken up, but I wasn't the least bit hungry. Who could eat at time like this?

My phone rang and I launched myself towards it, flipping it open and answering with an "_Ino_?!" without checking the caller ID.

"Uh…Sakura-chan?" I heard a familiar, and decidedly male, voice answer me. In disappointment, I slid down the wall next to my window.

"Oh…Hi, Naruto."

"You could sound a little excited to hear from me, you know." He joked, and I could tell he was smiling from his tone of voice. "Anyways, you left a necklace at my apartment and I have to drive a little bit that way to get to my parent's house, so I was thinking I could drop it off while I was—"

"Can…can you do it later, Naruto?" I asked.

Suddenly, his joking manner was gone. "Sakura-chan? Is everything okay?"

I felt the prick of tears, and my voice cracked when I said, "No."

"What's wrong?"

I felt bad for unloading my problems to him for the second time in a week, but I guess it could hardly be helped. I told him about Ino's disappearance, that she had been missing since Friday night, that her parents knew nothing, we knew nothing, and the cops were probably going to put this at the last of their priorities. "This is because of that huge fight we had, Naruto." I sobbed once. "This is all my fault."

Naruto said, "The hell it is!" the same time as someone at my door. I looked up and found Neji walking into the room.

The blond cut himself off from saying anything more. "Who's that?"

Neji gingerly took the phone from me. "Naruto? It's Neji…no, we'll wait and see what the police find…if they haven't by tonight, then we will…yes…" he put the phone to his shoulder, looking almost pained as he said the words, "Do you want Naruto to come over?" I shook my head and then buried it in my hands. "She says no…I'm sure she'll call if anything happens…yes…bye."

He handed me a tissue and sat down next to me. "This isn't your fault, Sakura."

"Of course it is!" I said. "You saw her room!"

"You had a fight over Sasuke?" He asked rather dryly.

"She was mad that I never told her I knew him."

"You don't know him."

"Well…I didn't…and then some things happened and he ended up coming here a few days ago and…she fainted in front of him."

Neji snorted in a way that was half amused, and half like I'd just given him the reaction he'd suspected all along. "We both know bringing up the past would open a can of worms. It's for the best."

"Is it?"

"Sakura, as soon as she found out I knew him, she nagged me for months trying to get me to introduce him to her. She would have done the same to you."

"But now she's missing…and…"

"Her disappearance is not your fault. She went to a party by herself, where she knew there would be alcohol and frat boys." He saw that what he was saying wasn't really getting to me, so he changed tactics. "I know a few people in the police force, and I've made a few calls. It's out of our hands now. I also am acquainted with the police commissioner, so I'll call him tonight if nothing turns up."

I nodded. "Thank you. You didn't have to do all this so…thank you."

"The Hyuuga family tends to frown when one of their members is in distress for any reason. It was either this or getting my ear chewed off by my uncle."

I turned a flat look onto him. "Well I'll just have to have Tenten fix you a huge dinner to thank you for your hard work."

He froze and thought for a minute. "The sad thing is…I don't know which is scarier."

I gave a short laugh and hit his shoulder lightly. "You're awful." I said playfully.

He sighed almost dramatically, standing up. "So they say. And Sakura?" I looked up at him. "You did the right thing." I felt my lower lip wobble as he left, but there weren't any tears.

If the first night I had trouble sleeping, the second night I didn't sleep at all. I did whatever I could to fall asleep, but nothing worked. Anxiety chewed me out from the inside as I watched the green numbers on my clock advance. It wasn't soon enough that my alarm went off to tell me to get ready for class and the sun was rising. I offered to stay home, but everyone told me to go ahead. Hinata's first class was canceled anyway, and by the time Tenten had to leave, Hinata would be back. Someone would be here, they assured me, and I should just go to class and then to work like normal.

Except it wasn't like normal at all. I could barely concentrate in class, keeping my phone on silent and next to my sparse notes on the tiny desk in the auditorium. The girl next to me even asked me to please stop tapping my pencil, which I hadn't even realized I was doing out of anxiousness.

No one at work mentioned the circles under my eyes, which I had tried to cover this morning but the makeup had worn off by now. I went through the motions of work, doing everything correctly but I wasn't really all there. I felt a little guilty that I didn't smile as much as I usually did, and one nurse mentioned a patient asked if I was all right.

I walked into one of the exam rooms to find a little girl on a table and her mother standing next to her. This was two-year-old Keiko, whose mother was opting to give her an early flu shot, so I got everything ready. As I finished the shot—she didn't even cry, and I told her how brave she was—her mother exclaimed that she had forgotten the insurance card in her car and would I mind watching over her daughter while she went and got it? I agreed, and let Keiko pick out her Band-Aid (ponies) while her mother ran out of the room. After that, I gave Keiko her sucker and took her into the waiting room so she could play with the toys while we waited on her mother.

We were walking past the reception desk when a flash of red caught my eye, and I looked up and saw Ino opening the door to the clinic, looking more pissed off than I had ever seen her. She was wearing the same clothes as she had Friday night, except her pumps were in her hands and one of the heels had snapped off. She looked clean and taken care of, though, which was not what I expected after not seeing her at home for over two days.

And after those two days, I didn't expect the murderous expression on her face…and especially not how her glare was directed straight at me.

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**Author's Note: **Ooo murderous Ino! Sasuke wasn't in this chapter, but chapter 10 will be very Sasuke-heavy, I promise. I love bringing back characters that don't get featured a lot, and yes, to those of you who ask, Konoha is a tiny city. As always, please review and let me know what you think!


	10. Jealous Stepsister

**Author's Notes: **All I have to say is the school year nearly killed me. Sorry guys!

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Title: Love and in War

Rating: T (or PG-13)

Summary: The first time I met Prince Sasuke was the night he saved my life. I never thought I would see him again, and I certainly never expected to fall in love with him.

Pairings: SasuSaku

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 10: Jealous Stepsister

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I looked at the blonde in slight alarm as she stalked her way into the clinic. "Ino…" I breathed out, my eyes widening. She was safe, and that's all that mattered, but the look in her eyes made me nervous. I could tell I wasn't the only wary one. The waiting room had gone a little bit quieter, and I felt two small hands grasping the fabric of my pants, a sign that Keiko was scared and trying to hide.

"_You whore_!" Ino was using a rather accusatory tone, and I felt my heart speed up in anticipation. I had never seen her this mad before. I had seen angry Ino, but she had always been predictable then. I had no idea what was about to come next. She continued to walk until she was standing close to me in a way that was meant to be intimidating. It made me feel a little trapped. "You're supposed to be my friend, and instead you go behind my back and try to claim him for yourself." I opened my mouth, but she didn't let me finish. "How many times have I told you how much I love him, and it turns out you've known him all along? Well, no matter what, you can't have him! He's mine, bitch!" Ino lifted her hand, and I tensed, knowing what was coming next but not being able to do much about it. The waiting room gasped a little bit, but everyone was too still to do anything. I couldn't even move without the risk of hurting Keiko, who was still attached to my pant leg in fear. I was just going to have to tough this one out.

Her arm swung downwards so fast that I thought I heard a whistle from the misplaced air. But apparently someone was even faster, because suddenly Ino's hand was arrested by a decidedly male hand. I followed the arm at about the same time Ino did. At the end of that arm was a pissed Prince, who was glaring at the blonde in a way that sent _my_ blood below freezing temperatures, so I couldn't even imagine how Ino felt.

I felt Keiko being pried off of my pant leg, and looked down to see Naruto coaxing her off. Good…he's trying to get her out of the way in case anything happened. He picked up the two-year-old and held her against his hip. I could tell he was trying to be nonthreatening for her sake, but that didn't stop his teeth from clenching.

"He's whose?" Sasuke asked her in a cold voice. Ino couldn't answer, as his mere presence had frozen her to the spot. She even looked like she was shaking a little. "_That_ would have been a _very_ bad idea."

It had gone too far when Ino started to cry.

"Prince Sasuke," I said softly, my mind telling me I was crazy for trying to shift his attention when he was obviously so murderous at the moment. It was only last minute that I remembered that I should address him by his proper title, since we were in public. "That's enough." But I didn't even have to worry about his attention, because he hadn't even looked away from Ino. In fact, his eyes had only narrowed further. "_Please_." I stressed.

He finally released her hand, but he obviously didn't trust himself to talk anymore, since his teeth were clenched. I could only be thankful he was facing away from most of the people…if this got out to the press…

"Go home Ino." I said, and when she found herself too shocked to move I gave her a _look_. She finally took off running, and I was actually thankful for the sake of her pride that she managed to keep her tears silent.

Sasuke took a few calming breaths, eyes shut, before he schooled his face to be completely neutral. But if people could only see his eyes up close, they would see that he was still raging. He walked right past me and to Naruto, taking Keiko from his friend's arms. He asked her if she was all right, his voice becoming considerably softer by that point, and she turned into his shoulder and wailed. It was a good thing that Keiko knew who he was and that he had only been protecting me…she knew he'd been the good guy in the situation.

And then I realized…Sasuke was basically doing damage control.

I had no doubt he wanted to see if the toddler was really alright, but in doing that and in holding a little two-year-old commoner to him while she cried, he had gained the favor of everyone in the room. Anyone who had been apprehensive of him before because of the murderous anger he'd displayed was now fully on his side.

Keiko's mother came back into the room and took one look at the scene. She took her daughter and thanked Prince Sasuke for looking out after her. I met Naruto's eyes and jerked my head in the general direction of the break room, and he started walking, Sasuke following after reassuring Keiko's mother that everything was okay, that her daughter had only been scared for a second.

I could feel the eyes on my back, grateful the clinic wasn't near as crowded as it could have been. No one said a word until we were alone in the break room. I took a shaky breath as soon as the door shut behind me, but then froze again when I felt two pairs of eyes glued to me.

"What the _hell_ was that?" Sasuke asked (demanded) in a way that let me know the show with Keiko had been a measure of his self-control. He was still angry.

"We've been fighting…?" My voice rose at the end, and to be honest I was extremely nervous to have that penetrating stare pinned on me. I looked to Naruto for a little support, but he was strangely silent. I really wanted someone to intervene right now, to get those eyes _off of me_.

"Are you asking me?" He asked, his continued stare making me inwardly squirm. I would tell him anything he wanted right now if only to soften his eyes and look a bit less like he was—

I gaped at him. "Are you _interrogating _me?!" It was only a split second, but I saw his eyes widen a fraction. That's where I had seen this expression before! In Oto! "The _hell _you are!" I told him, suddenly feeling a bit of sympathy for the police captain all those years ago.

"_Sakura_…"

"No. I'm not going to talk to you if you're going to treat me the same way you did _Orochimaru_."

The anger ebbed away to frustration, and the raven-haired prince actually had to turn his back to me for a moment.

"He's just worried, Sakura-chan, but the bastard just won't admit it." Blue eyes turned to me. "You were almost assaulted, after all."

"Ino's just going through some things, but it's just a phase." I turned to Sasuke, even though he still had his back turned. "She's not usually like this."

"Why did she almost hit you then?" Sasuke asked, his voice sounding better but still a little strained.

"She kind of likes you…" I told him, feeling that at this point it was just better to tell him the truth. Naruto raised an eyebrow in my direction, looking a bit incredulous. "Okay fine, she _really_ likes you, and she doesn't like that I know you."

Sasuke turned around, and he looked more tired than anything else, one eye twitching a little bit. "_That's_ what this is about?" He sunk down on the couch and rubbed his eyes. He muttered, "Women…" which I don't think I was supposed to hear. Then again, this isn't the first time that a woman has lost her mind around him, and it won't be the last.

"I'm sorry you had to see her like that, she's really very nice once you get to know her." I glared at Naruto when he snorted at that statement. "And really, Naruto, _assault_? You and I both know Ino isn't that strong." She especially wasn't as strong as that District Attorney a few years ago, who had hit me hard enough to make my neck pop. No, if Ino had hit me it would have stung for a bit, and even that wouldn't have really hurt unless she involved her nails.

"I still don't like her." Naruto grumbled.

"You don't have to like her." I told him. "She's _my_ roommate. But I would appreciate if you would try forgiving her, at least for this anyway."

He gave me a flat look. "You want me to forgive her for nearly bitch-slapping you?"

I sighed. "Naruto, she's been missing since Friday night. I have no idea what she's been through, but knowing she's safe is more important than carrying some petty grudge." I blinked away a few tears. There had been moments this morning, at about three or four AM, when I had been certain she was lying in a ditch somewhere. Thinking she was dead was frightening, but not knowing anything was even scarier.

"Fine." Naruto said. "I'll _try_." He had to force the word out. "I'm going to see Lee." His tone indicated that he was more frustrated than angry. He got up and walked to the door. "I'm glad you're okay, Sakura-chan."

I smiled at him before he shut the door, and then turned back to the grump still sitting on the couch. Of course, at this point he looked more annoyed than grumpy. Still, I guess he had a little bit of a reason to be annoyed. His eyes were closed, but one of them was twitching. His arms were crossed, and he didn't look quite like the saintly prince the media portrayed. He looked so human right now. No walls, no cover-ups.

I sat down next to him. I couldn't look at him for fear that he would look at me again and I'd see something I wouldn't like. Remaining anger? Betrayal that I was defending Ino and not him? A look that said I really was a magnet for unwanted attention? I looked down to the white tiled floor. "Thank you." I said, breaking the silence. "I really do appreciate you intervening." He didn't say anything, and I didn't want to look to see if my gratitude had garnered a reaction. I pulled my knees to my chest. "Do you…do you ever get tired of stuff like this?" I asked.

"Like what?" He finally answered, his voice a forced neutral.

"Getting treated like a piece of meat." I said. I waited for a moment for him to answer, but he didn't for a long time.

Finally, after what seemed to be ages, he said, "Yes."

I turned my head to look at him when I noticed out of the corner of my eye that his eyes were open now, and he was glancing down at me. "How do you deal with it? The fame, the scandals, the…um…the women?"

That finally garnered a smirk. "My life really isn't as hectic as you seem to think it is."

"Really? But I see photos of you all the time…and, of course, Ino buys every magazine with your name in it." I sucked in a breath. "Please don't tell her I told you that."

He didn't even acknowledge the part about Ino, but I could almost see in his expression that he realized some things about my roommate. "Most of the photos they show are weeks or months old. I'm pretty boring compared to most celebrities." I raised an eyebrow at that. Sasuke, boring? Of course there was that one celebrity who went to that one awards show in a towel. Which, if by _boring_ he meant _actually pretty normal_, then yeah, Sasuke was _boring_. "The Royal Family pays someone a substantial amount of money to either correct the scandals or make them go away, and the women are…" He paused, his mouth twisting as he searched for the right word. "Troublesome."

"I would just like to point out," I said to him, "that Ino never tipped a car to get to you."

His mouth twitched upwards at the corner. "Good to know."

"So Naruto mentioned going to see Lee. I thought he was discharged?"

"Physical therapy."

"Should you be there?"

He rolled his eyes. "I'm putting it off as long as possible. I really don't want to listen to how many laps he'll have to do if he fails."

It was my turn to smile. "Now what kind of friend are you not to want to go listen to that?"

"I've known the man for six years, one day will not make a difference."

I put my hand over my heart dramatically. "Yosh! One day makes _all_ the difference when you're the Green Beast of—"

"Stop." The Prince interrupted me, sounding a bit pained. I couldn't help giggling at his expression though. I'd talked with Fuzzy Br—_Lee _a little more before he'd left the hospital and, while eccentric, he grew on you after awhile. "Don't even go there." Suddenly, I saw his eyes narrow. "What happened to your lip?"

Confused for a moment, I felt along my lip for something, when a light stinging made me realize that my smiling must have emphasized the cut that was still healing. "Four-year-old terrorist." I told him quickly, not wanting him to think that this was something Ino had done. "I made him get a shot."

"You're a horrible human being." He said, obviously fake. I smiled again.

"So I'm told." My smile turned a little mischievous. "_Speaking _of horrible human beings, you need to get up to the physical therapy ward."

The expression on his face reminded me of a child who didn't want to go to bed. "Why now?"

"Because you are a good person and a good friend." I said, standing up and going towards the door. I expected him to follow, but he didn't move. His arms were still stubbornly crossed. "I figured I would go up there, too, to cheer Fuzz—_Lee _on." Still no movement. "I'll give you a sucker." He raised an eyebrow and I shrugged. "It worked on the four-year-old." This time, he glared at me, slowly standing up. His look automatically sent me into the beginnings of fight or flight mode. He was walking towards me and I bit my lip, watching him carefully. I wasn't afraid of him, but something in the way his eyes met mine made me nervous in a way I couldn't describe. "I have stickers, too." I said a little breathlessly. "If you don't like candy."

He stopped just outside of my personal bubble, and his expression became a little less intimidating. "Annoying." He muttered before walking out of the break room.

It took me a minute to get my bearings, but then I started to chase after him. "Hey!" I hissed indignantly at him, very aware that we were in a public space. "I'm not annoying." He pushed the button to the elevator, and it was only when we were inside and alone, travelling to the fourth floor, that I felt it was okay for me to speak freely again. "You should come up with more words. Like funny, or pretty, or charming."

"Annoying still fits the best."

We stepped out of the elevator, and I tried to growl at him. He only looked amused at this, because I remember his sounding so much scarier. We walked into the Physical Therapy Ward, finding Naruto in the waiting room looking bored.

"They're just explaining the exercises to him today, so he can do them at home." He looked at Sasuke. "By the way, we became his ride home as of five minutes ago."

Sasuke looked annoyed. I looked at him flatly. "Remember Sasuke," I told him dryly. "You're a good friend. Which reminds me…" I reached into the breast pocket of my scrubs and found the sticker I had almost given to Keiko, peeling the wax paper off of it and smacking it onto his shirt. "There's your sticker." And I went to sit next to Naruto with a huff, the blond looking between our matching glares. I thought Sasuke had no right to be glaring at me, even though I had just stuck a rather large pink unicorn sticker to his chest. He opened his mouth and my glare intensified. "Don't you _dare_ say it."

"_Exasperating_…" He grit out.

"Thank you." I said, sarcastically.

"Where's my sticker?" Naruto asked.

"What have you done lately to merit a sticker?"

"I'm here…supporting my friend…?" He said, probably to see if that was worthy enough. I thought for a moment and decided it was. I gave him a sucker instead, and Naruto gloated to Sasuke. "See, Teme? _This _is what you could have gotten if you didn't piss her off—wait, Sakura-chan, why do I have to get cherry? This is the one that tastes like cough syrup."

I slid knowing eyes over to him. "Because you came to laugh at Lee trying to learn how to walk again."

Naruto's face went red with guilt and he laughed sheepishly. "Oh come on, it would have been hilarious! Like a baby giraffe."

My teeth clenched, not being able to stand the thought of finding joy in anyone's pain. I stood up, but couldn't face either of them. Maybe I was mad because I hadn't slept at all last night, and it was getting to me, not to mention the whole thing with Ino and now with these two. "I'm going to take my lunch break now. Please tell Lee I hope he feels better and I will see him later."

I heard some protesting from Naruto, but I didn't stop walking until I had gotten to the elevators. I retreated to my desk in the clinic and grabbed my lunch. I was opening the door to the break room when I realized this would be the first place they would look for me to apologize, and I really didn't want to be found just yet. So, I took the elevator again to the fifth floor and was let into room 580 by the guards easier than I thought.

Juugo lifted his head from a book.

"Hi." I said. "Mind if I eat lunch in here?"

"Of course not." He said in that gentle voice of his. "What happened?" He asked, seeing my face.

"I'm just angry at some people in the building and I don't want them to find me yet."

"Need time to be mad?" He asked, and I nodded, sitting at the small table. The lights in here were dimmer than I was used to, with the only light coming from the window and a few lamps. It was soothing compared to the bright fluorescents in the main hospital. "Want to talk about it?"

Gradually, I told him everything that had happened over the weekend, right up to the point where I had stormed out of the waiting room. He listened to me, every word, and didn't start speaking until I was done with my tale. I felt a little guilty for unloading all of my problems on him for the second time, but since he didn't seem to mind…

"I doubt it was their intention to hurt you." He said. "The one who called you annoying…you said he didn't talk much. Maybe that's just his way of expressing himself. Maybe he's too embarrassed to tell you what he really thinks." _Too high handed is more like it_, I thought, but I let Juugo continue without interruption. "And the other one…I doubt that he really would have laughed at his friend like that, especially if he knew how much pain his friend is in right now. I don't mean to criticize you, but perhaps you shouldn't have taken it so seriously."

I sighed. He was probably right, meaning I should probably apologize to both of them. But was it too much to expect that they apologize to me as well? I thought that was reasonable enough. Though, I decided I really hated being mad at them. It just felt like something was…off in my world. There was a moment an hour ago, sitting on the couch with Sasuke, when Ino was safe and everyone was getting along that everything had felt so right again after my hellish weekend, and now I felt like I was right back where I started.

We talked until my lunch break was over, and then I went back to the clinic. The receptionist looked at me when I entered and said, "Room Seven." I headed there and saw that the room was occupied, but there wasn't a file in the slot on the door. I went in anyway.

Blue eyes blinked at me sadly from the exam table. I looked him over, but I couldn't find it in me to be mad anymore. "You don't _look_ like a patient." I said, shutting the door behind me.

Naruto ducked his head. "I just…I wanted to apologize. We had to wheel Lee out of the hospital and when he tried to get into the car…" His face went a little pale. "Let's just say I won't be making comments like that again."

I winced at the thought of how much pain Lee was in. "I'm sorry, too." I said. "I know you didn't mean it like that but…I just don't like seeing people in pain." Not since I was thirteen and had to watch a disease kill my mother from the inside out.

"Probably why you're becoming a doctor." He said. "Sasuke will be here to pick me up in a few minutes. He'll probably want to say he's sorry too. He won't actually use those words, but you'll get the gist of it."

I blew out a breath, which ruffled my bangs. "I probably deserved it. I _did_ put that girlie sticker on him, after all."

Naruto laughed. "Oh come on, now _that_ was funny! Do you realize you're one of very few people outside of his family who will do something like that to him? Not even his own girlfriend will joke with him like that."

I ignored the way my chest tightened at that. "Why?"

"Well…he's the _Prince of Konoha_ and all that. He was raised with the knowledge that anything he did could be on the cover of a tabloid the next day, so he's pretty guarded." He suddenly smiled, throwing his hands behind his head. "Not me though. The press isn't really all that interested in the Hokage's son, especially since our last names aren't the same." I thought for a moment, thinking that this little factoid explained a lot of things. "And do you want to know a secret?" He asked me in hushed tones. I nodded, leaning closer to him. "He only calls you annoying because he likes you."

I felt the blush start to rise. "…what?"

"He considers you a friend, Sakura-chan. He's not afraid to speak his mind around you and have to worry that you'll run to the press with it. And just because he calls you annoying doesn't mean he means it like that. A lot of things are annoying to him, and not just in bad ways." The corner of his mouth tilted upwards in a smirk I had no doubt he'd learned from the dark haired prince. "If it makes you feel any better, I didn't figure this out until we were teens. It took me almost a decade to figure out why he wouldn't stop calling me _dobe_." His voice lowered at the end, obviously mocking Sasuke, and I tried to keep from smiling.

I felt like I was slacking off a bit at work, but no one stopped me when Naruto and I left. Of course, considering the state I had been in when I arrived here, the other nurses were probably trying to give me a break, which I was immensely grateful for. I really should have taken the day off today, all things considered.

We walked out the front door and saw that Sasuke had his sleek, black—and probably bulletproof—car parked in front of us, in the covered area for dropping off and picking up patients. Generally, people weren't supposed to park here, but no one would dare reprimand the Prince.

I bit my lip at the first sight of him, leaning against his car with his arms crossed. I was a little nervous about this, since how did one apologize to a prince? He looked at me, and my mouth parted a little to see a touch of guilt across his face. It didn't belong there, I decided. In fact, it was a little shocking to know that he was feeling guilty over something he'd said to _me_.

When I stood in front of him, I put my hand on my hip and cocked my head to one side. "If I'm annoying," I began, staring straight into his eyes. "You have to admit you're kind of a bastard."

He blinked at me for a few beats, as if not quite taking in what I had just said. Then, he smirked, "Fine." He said. "I'm a bastard."

And just like that, all was forgiven.

Naruto gaped. "Wha—? How'd you do that, Sakura-chan? I've been trying for _years_…"

I giggled a little bit, before noticing how dark it was for only one o'clock. "You guys should probably go to beat the rain, I'd hate for you to get wet."

The Prince reached into the pocket of his jeans, pulling out his car keys. This meant he unfolded his arms, and I gaped a little at what they uncovered. Naruto was grumbling, climbing into the passenger seat, so he hadn't noticed, but I could hardly move. There, just where I'd stuck it, was that stupid unicorn sticker. He hadn't taken it off.

He nodded a goodbye at me, not acting like anything was wrong, and I spluttered out a "goodbye" and a "see you soon." They drove off, and I looked after them with a slight blush, not really knowing why the fact that he'd kept the sticker on was affecting me like this.

Still, I went back to my shift feeling much better, albeit a little flustered and confused. I really didn't want to over think the issue, since I would absolutely drive myself nuts, so I focused on my work instead. Tsunade's lesson at four was easy for the day, and she gave me a small book to do reading from, which was unusual. I went back to my desk to collect my things, looking for an umbrella since it was absolutely pouring outside, and wincing when I realize I had left it at home. I wrapped my laptop and books in a garbage sack before putting them into my backpack, and changed into my regular tennis shoes so the ones I had on wouldn't get ruined. The scrubs could stay, since I really didn't want to walk in the rain wearing the jeans I had gone to class in.

I steeled myself, walking out of the front doors, wincing at the sound of water pouring off of the covered drop off area. I didn't even have time to prepare myself to run for it, because directly in my line of sight was a familiar black sedan, with a familiar someone leaning against it. I walked towards him curiously.

"Hey," I said, wondering why he was here. Maybe Lee needed to come back or something? Or Naruto had left something here? "What are you doing here? Is everything okay?"

"I figured you needed a ride." He said, walking around to the driver's side. "Get in."

I did as instructed, looking more than surprised that he had thought about me. Of course, it wouldn't have been the first time I'd ever walked home in the rain, and it wouldn't be the last, but those times I had an umbrella. I had been too flustered to even think about it this morning. Though, as flattering as it was that he'd thought about me, there was something in his tone of voice that was a little off.

I put my bag next to my feet, noticing that the hand turning the key was a little tense in an uncomfortable way. I frowned. "You're not still feeling guilty over calling me annoying, are you?" I asked him point blank. By the way the hand on the gearshift paused, I could tell I had been right. "You really don't have to," I said as he pulled into traffic. "I was being a _little_ annoying, what with Ino and that stupid sticker and—_are you still wearing it?!_" Sure enough, the pink flash of color I had seen on his shirt was the horrendous sticker.

"Hn."

I glowered. "That's not an answer, or a reason." The only reason I could think of was that he was still feeling very guilty, and was doing this to himself as some sort of self-punishment. "You can really tear that thing up, if you want. I was just a little mad about the annoying comments, but then Naruto told me that maybe you didn't _really_ mean _annoying _annoying, so…"

His hands tightened on the steering wheel. "What else did you and Naruto talk about?" He asked.

"Nothing." I squeaked. He was still looking at the road, but I could see the dry, unamused look he had adopted. "But I _am_ really sorry for flying off the handle like that. I think I'm just crazy from not sleeping last night." Oh goodness, I was starting to ramble. In fact, Sasuke had his teeth clenched, and he looked like he was restraining himself from saying a certain something, probably because he thought it still pissed me off. Honestly, though, ever since Naruto had said what he had, it really started to fall into place that Sasuke didn't mean it in a mean way. When he got mad at me for walking alone at night, I think he called me annoying because he had been worried. And then today, he had really only been teasing me, but I had completely taken it the wrong way. So really, I knew the only way to make him get over this and go back to the way we were.

"Although that reminds me, how _are_ you so intimidating? I guess it runs in the family, but you all always look so…_normal_ in photos. You must get your looks from your mother. And by the way, even though he's engaged to be married, your brother is _cute_." His hand tightened on the steering wheel and he was glaring at the road through the rain. "But…could you not tell him I told you that? I don't want to be perceived as one of his fangirls. But he really is just so…handsome. I guess all your family's looks went to him, am I right?" By the way his eye was twitching, I could tell he'd had just about enough. I leaned across the armrest and smiled a little at him. "Go on and say it, Sasuke. You know you want to."

His eyes widened as he realized what I had been doing. He did his very best to fight the smirk, but it won out in the end. Sasuke slanted his eyes over to me when there wasn't a whole lot of traffic and said, "Annoying."

I grinned back at him. "See? That wasn't so hard. Though you have the self-control of an ox."

"I'd better have inherited something," He said, still smirking. "Since my brother got the good looks."

I flushed. "I was kidding!" I said, hands up. "I was just trying to rile you up a little. I didn't mean any of it." I thought for a moment. "Except the intimidating part."

He pulled up to my apartment building shortly afterwards, and I tried to judge how wet I would get if I just bolted. It seemed like I was just destined to get soaked, since the rain was still coming down in sheets. I bit my lip, looking out the window. "Thanks for the ride." I said to Sasuke. He'd put the car in park, and he remained pretty relaxed, like he wasn't in a hurry. "Drive safe, okay?" He nodded. "I'll see you around, then."

I reached to open the door, but his hand caught my wrist, stopping me. I looked towards him to see that same intimidating gaze directed at me, though this time there was no anger in it. It was intense enough that I felt my heart rate speed up, and I hope he didn't notice. The car was silent for a few beats, with the sound of rain hitting the outside metal the only noise.

"Be careful." He finally said.

I cocked my head to one side. "Is this about Ino?" I asked. When I felt his hand tighten around mine a little, that was all the indication I needed. I smiled a little at him. Honestly, until today, I had forgotten that this man had been the first person to defend me since my father's death. I had been on my own until he came along two years ago. "I'll be okay." I told him. "Ino is probably more upset than angry right now…she won't try anything." In fact, Ino was probably still crying, since she had just been on the receiving end of her crush's anger. She'd liked him for so long that having him mad at her was a little startling. She probably wished he still didn't know who she was. "One day," I told Sasuke. "When all this has blown over and she's not so obsessed with you, I'll introduce you two, and you'll see that she's not really a bad person." He still looked skeptical. "I promise I'll be fine. Trust me, okay?"

His jaw clenched, but he took his hand away from my wrist, and it stole my breath away that he really did trust me. He didn't seem like the person who trusted just anyone, unlike Naruto, so the fact that he was letting me go sent something through me.

I gave him a "goodbye, Sasuke" before opening the door and bolting inside the building. I was a little wet, but nowhere near what it would have been like had I not gotten a ride. I looked back at his car and saw that he had been waiting until I got inside before driving off. His windows were heavily tinted, so I couldn't see inside.

I took the elevator to the tenth floor and unlocked the door to my apartment, not sure exactly what I'd find. Hinata and Tenten were at the kitchen table, working, and I raised an eyebrow at them. Ino wasn't there, which was bothering me. I had assumed that she would come straight here, but what if she hadn't?

"Ino's locked in her room," Tenten said, stopping my train of thought. "She won't speak to anyone."

I nodded, and then went to put everything in my room. Then, I stood outside Ino's door for a minute before knocking.

"Go away!" A muffled voice yelled.

"Ino," I said softly. "It's me." There were a few heavy footsteps and then the door swung open. She looked like she had been off and on crying for the past few hours. "Are you okay?"

"'Am I okay?' She asks, ha!" Ino said incredulously, before walking back into her room. She'd left the door open, so I took that as an invitation that I was allowed inside. "The love of my life hates me now, and you ask me if I'm okay."

"He doesn't hate you." I told her. "He was just concerned."

"That was _not_ concern, Sakura! He…he…" Her voice cracked, and her eyes were tearing up again.

I sat down on her bed. "He _was_ concerned." And mad as hell, but she didn't have to know that. "Look, something like this happened…that night, and Sasuke saw it. He just…didn't want it to happen again."

She gave me a dry look. "A girl almost slapped you? In Oto?"

"Well…no. It was an attorney, and I actually did get hit." I told her the story that they couldn't have possibly known, since even if Neji told them everything else he hadn't been there for the interrogation part. I told her that Sasuke had been led out of the room, and the DA had come in and ended up hitting me. Sasuke had seen it, even though he wasn't supposed to. "You just reminded him of how he'd felt back then, that's all." I cleared my throat, wanting to get off this topic. "You took down all your Sasuke-related things." I noticed.

"I didn't need the reminder." She said. "They're all in a box in my closet."

"Ino…where did you _go_?"

She actually laughed at that. "Well, I went to the party like I said, and got really drunk." She blushed a little. "I started to walk home, and then these guys started hitting on me and…well there was this other guy, who sort of saved me, and then I kind of attached myself to him." _I _actually laughed at that. "I wouldn't tell him where I lived, so he took me back to his apartment and let me recover." She shrugged. "I ended up staying for two days, but he never really cared. He didn't even care that all I did was bitch about my problems. He talked to me…but he was so damn _calm _and—I don't know—_rational_ that it just pissed me off even more. And then there were moments where everything was okay again and I asked him if he wanted me to leave, but he acted like it wasn't a big deal. He just said it was troublesome that I was there, but he…he fed me and took care of me. He didn't even do anything inappropriate." She huffed. "He even made me sleep on his couch!"

I smiled, imagining Ino fighting for the right to have a bed in someone else's home. "Did you get his name?" I asked.

"Yeah," She said, and there was a certain dreaminess in her voice that I doubt she knew was there. "Nara Shikamaru."

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**Author's Notes: **And there you have it! Sorry for the wait guys. I'm trying to get back to writing again but it's a slow going process. I am excited to introduce a few new characters in though, so we'll see where that goes. As always, please review and let me know what you think!


	11. Far, Far Away

**Author's Notes: **Here's the next chapter! I am continuing to work on the next chapter of _Catch 22_, but it's a slow going process. Keep an eye out for it though, and thanks for all of your encouragement!

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Title: Love and in War

Rating: T (or PG-13)

Summary: The first time I met Prince Sasuke was the night he saved my life. I never thought I would see him again, and I certainly never expected to fall in love with him.

Pairings: SasuSaku

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 11: Far, Far Away

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I sat on my bed, tapping my fingers against my leg in a panicked gesture. It was the middle of December, and I had just completed several stressful finals. Because of those finals, I had been studying and hadn't had any time to go shopping for presents, so now I was scrambling at the last minute. I had gotten all of my gifts figured out except for one. Ino had been easy to shop for, since I knew she wanted new shoes. Hinata wanted books. Tenten wanted jewelry because she didn't have much. Naruto's gift would hopefully arrive in the mail tomorrow, and he was getting a rather fancy ramen bowl along with a cookbook of over 100 ramen recipes. Tsunade was getting a nice sake set. Kakashi—who I hadn't given a present last year, but he had given me one, so I figured I should probably get him something—was getting the newest _Icha Icha_ book that I'd had to bribe Naruto to buy and wrap for me. I'd even decided to get Neji a button-down white shirt, since I had sort of ripped his in half once, and Hinata told me he needed new clothes anyway. Almost everyone had already been taken care of, which brought me to my current conundrum: what does one give a prince for Christmas?

There wasn't anything I couldn't imagine he didn't have. Apparently he liked books, but the Royal Library was well stocked according to the Internet. He didn't need clothes or something to shine his car with or one of those complicated army knives that were all the rage these days. He had all of those, or at least people who would get those things for him. I had looked for days now, and there was nothing. A sales lady told me that camping gear was popular for young men in their twenties, which I answered with a "Ha ha, no." On a whim, I had looked at the most expensive thing in a store catalog, which was a brand name watch. He had one already.

What did you get the man who had everything?

He hadn't even been around lately for me to ask him, either. The last time I had seen him was when he drove me home in the rain, which was in…October? No, it had been before Naruto's birthday, so sometime in September then. Since then, the Prince had been busy with charity events and work. I hadn't even seen Naruto as much as I wanted, since he was working late into the nights due to "suspicious activity" from Rain, but he couldn't tell me anymore than that. The times that I had gone to his apartment for breakfast, he had been sound asleep and I really didn't have the heart to wake him. I made him breakfast and silently left, clucking my tongue at the fact he'd been so tired the night before he hadn't even remembered to lock his door. Since I hadn't seen him since before my finals, I hadn't gotten the chance to ask him what Sasuke might want for Christmas. I had one other person that I could ask, though, since I knew someone else who was a self-proclaimed expert on all things Prince Sasuke.

I went to Ino's room, and she turned off her music when I sat on her bed and looked at her seriously. "Ino," I said, my voice coming out almost grave. "What does Sasuke like?"

She didn't squeal in excitement like she would have done a few months ago, and I noticed that all of her Royal Family memorabilia was still in her closet somewhere. The incident in September really did a number on her, and she wasn't quite the fanatic she used to be. Thankfully, I could now talk to her about Sasuke without her flying off the handle about how much she loved him.

She raised an eyebrow at me. "You would probably know more than me." She said.

It was hard to believe this was the same woman who had proclaimed herself _the future Princess of Konoha_ a year ago. I looked at her, feeling a little worried. "But I really don't know, Ino." I said, running a hand through my hair in frustration. "He's not…I mean, what do I get someone who has all the money in the world? Everything I can think of just feels trivial."

The blonde looked puzzled as well. "It's the thought that counts…?" Her voice rose in pitch at the end, making it sound like a question. "Can't you just ask him?"

"I don't know how to contact him except through Naruto, and he's been really busy lately."

She shrugged. "I really don't know what to tell you, but you had better think of something pretty fast."

"Why?" I asked, my voice rising in panic.

"Apparently he's going to the Uchiha Clan's beach villa for Christmas. That's what the news says, anyway."

"When?" I asked.

"They're not saying, but probably soon since Christmas is next week."

We talked more about gift ideas, eventually agreeing that anything I got him would probably be as trivial as I thought. I went back to my room and was doing more panicked Internet research when I got a text from Naruto asking if I wanted breakfast in the morning. I told him yes with many exclamation points, because I could finally ask him what sort of things Sasuke wanted.

I didn't sleep very well that night, since my dreams were mostly holiday stress related. Even though my classes were over, I still had to work. Today would be my last day at the hospital before my Christmas vacation began. I had taken the entire next week off so I could wind down from my awful finals without having to worry about work. Though if I had known that I was going to have to rush around trying to find a present for the most impossible man to shop for, I might have taken this week off instead.

I was at Naruto's apartment early with a shopping bag in my hands that contained the presents for Tsunade and Kakashi. I let myself into the blond's apartment and found him at his stove looking at the contents inside a manila folder while something sizzled in a frying pan. When I walked in, he shut the folder and smiled at me. I wasn't going to ask what he was looking at since the folder had _CLASSIFIED_ stamped across the front in red letters. I sat down at the island in his kitchen and gave him a serious look.

"What does Sasuke want for Christmas?" I asked.

He smirked at me. "Good morning to you, too." He held the pan up. "Bacon?" He asked.

"Yes, please…but in all seriousness, what does he want?"

"I guess you've figured out that Teme is hard to shop for unless you really know him."

"_You_ really know him." I stressed, then asked, "What did you get him?"

"A new case for his phone and a clock for his office." I scrunched up my nose, thinking those were things that I wouldn't have thought about in a million years. They seemed so…ordinary compared to the things I had been looking at. I'd had the mindset that nothing would be good enough unless I spent an obscene amount of money on it, and here Naruto was not sounding like he'd spend more than twenty bucks. "Here's the thing about shopping for Sasuke," he told me, handing me a plate. "He likes things that he can actually use."

I thought for a minute, no gift ideas springing to mind. "Okay," I began a little slowly, deciding to ask a different question. "What does he need, then?"

"Coffee."

I blinked at him. "I beg your pardon?" I must have heard wrong, because there is no way one of the richest men in the world needed—

"Coffee." Naruto repeated. "It's taboo in the Palace because of the way it stains your teeth, so Sasuke has to sneak it at work when he can." He shook his head. "The Royal Family's PR managers want to make sure his teeth are all nice and white for the cameras."

I found it hard to believe that the Prince of Konoha had to _sneak_ anything. In fact, it was hard to imagine. "So…any coffee…?"

"As long as it's got caffeine," he said. "But none of the really weird flavors."

"I would have never thought of that." I said.

"Yeah, he's the hardest one to shop for."

Out of curiosity, I asked, "What did you get him when you didn't really know him?"

He smiled behind his coffee cup. "Crayons."

"Did he like those?"

"No, he was more of a marker person."

I giggled. "Really?"

"Eventually he had to use the crayons because they confiscated the markers. The palace staff had to strip hundred-year-old wallpaper out of the King's Study because they couldn't get the stains out."

I laughed, thinking about a mischievous Sasuke. "I guess time changes a person."

He raised an eyebrow, still smiling. "Only on the outside. Don't ever let him prank you, Sakura-chan. He doesn't do it often or without reason, but let's just say they leave a lasting impression."

"Did he learn that skill from you?" I asked.

"Partially." He said. "But I'm still the best, if I do say so myself."

"What pranks have you pulled?" I asked, suddenly a little wary.

He tapped his finger to his chin in thought. "I'll tell you about my longest lasting achievement." He said. "When we were seven, I drew Sasuke a picture of the two of us. He threw it out, so I super-glued it to his bedroom wall."

My mouth dropped open. "You…"

"It's still there, too."

"How is that possible?"

"They can't scrape away at it or use chemicals without damaging the drywall, and the outline of the sheet and the glue will still show if they painted over it, so they had to leave it. There's a dresser sitting in front of it now, though." He smirked.

I laughed at that, and throughout breakfast Naruto continued to tell me of the antics he and Sasuke had gotten into. Apparently one time they had almost gotten demoted for hiding books that his captain obsessed over. We made plans to meet to exchange presents, as he would be spending Christmas Day with his parents at the Hokage Mansion and I wouldn't get to see him.

He drove me to work, which turned out to be a little hectic due to all the people with colds. I ran into Kakashi around lunch, who appeared to just wander the hospital whenever he felt the urge. I told him to stay in the lobby outside of the clinic, and I ran to my desk and got his present out of the shopping bag.

"Don't open it here." I said, handing the wrapped gift to him. He didn't even need to open it to know what it was, since he probably knew the feel of those books by heart.

He ruffled my hair. "I knew there was a reason you were my favorite."

"Well I just hope it's the right one. I bribed a friend to get it and wrap it."

He chuckled, and peeled back one edge of the wrapping. "It's the right one. Oh, your gift is on your desk."

My face lit up and I hugged him, thanking him. Nearly squealing, I hurried back to my desk to see the wrapped package I'd somehow missed before. Probably because Kakashi hadn't used any outrageously patterned wrapping. It was a tall, rectangular box in plain silver wrapping with one of those themed stickers on top telling me it was to me from Kakashi. I opened it and found a travel mug in it. It was red aluminum with a black plastic top. It was the one I had been wanting for a while, since my old one's top had broken. I paused for a second, because I _definitely_ didn't tell Kakashi that this is what I wanted. I did, however, mention that I needed a new one to several nurses during a coffee break. I looked suspiciously around the room, but none of the nurses there looked like a spy, so I guess it was destined to be one of the great mysteries of life.

At four I was at Tsunade's office even though she'd cancelled our lesson to give me a break. I gave her a rather nice sake set and in return she told me that she would be paying for all of my books next semester. I had to let that sink in for a minute, because textbooks sometimes ran up to three hundred dollars _per book_, but she just smiled at me and told me that I deserved it and to have a Merry Christmas.

I was in such a daze because of that I almost forgot to run and get Sasuke's gift. I went to the first grocery store I came across and stepped in, nervously wondering if I should have gone to an actual coffee shop for this instead. Unfortunately for me, the coffee aisle was long and extensive and didn't have a flashing arrow with a neon _Buy This!_ attached to it. Let's see…Naruto said none of the weird flavors, so that excluded anything Ino would buy. All the decaf coffees were out too, so that narrowed it down some. But…did he like Suna Blend or Exotic Mist Country Roast? Did it matter if it was organic? Beans or ground? Am I over thinking this? Well that was one question I could give a solid _yes_ to.

I settled on a medium priced coffee after several internal debates, picking up both a dark roast coffee from Nagi Island and a Southern Fire Country Breakfast Blend. Both were from the same company, which packaged their grounds in a cream colored, drawstring muslin bag so it looked a little bit nicer than the rest of it. It looked to be from a smaller company, as I had never heard of them, but hey, what's life without a little risk, right? With some debate, I threw in a solid black travel mug, and that made the twenty dollars I told myself was my limit for each person.

I found a gift box that would fit it and wrapped all of it when I got home, getting a bow and tag and sticking them both on one corner. It was silly that I was this nervous. He'll like it…right? Of course he will…Naruto said he will, and Naruto knows Sasuke better than anybody. I just finished when I heard my phone chirp, and looked to see that I had a text message from the blond.

_Did you find something for Sasuke?_

I texted back: _I did. Mind if I drop it off at your place tomorrow morning?_ _I'll trust you to give it to him since I'm not sure when I'll see him next._

After a few moments, I got another text: _He's actually leaving for the coast tonight_.

I froze. Don't panic don't panic don't panic. Furiously, I texted: _Be at your place in 10! _

I threw on my coat, snatched my purse, and grabbed the present. I picked up my shoes on the way out, hastily slipping them on in the elevator. There was a chirp from within my purse, but I ignored it in favor of planning my strategy. How reliable are the taxis? Could I get there quicker if I ran the whole way? I'm wearing the wrong shoes for running! Do I even have money for a cab?!

As soon as the elevator doors open, I ran through them, turned towards the exit and…there he was.

I gave myself points for not running into him this time.

It took me a moment to decide he wasn't a hallucination concocted by my panicked mind. But the lady at the desk was staring at him slack-jawed, so he had to have been real. He blinked at me for a moment.

"Sasuke?" I asked, still not believing that he was here. "I thought…weren't you…?" Oh dear, my thoughts are still frantic and my brain is going a mile a minute. I can't even think straight enough to form a complete sentence.

"I wanted to catch you before I left." He said. "This is for you." And he handed me a small box with a simple ribbon wrapped around it and tied neatly into a bow.

"And this is for you." I said, handing him my box. I gave him a meaningful look and told him, "Though you may not want to open it around the palace staff."

The corner of his mouth twitched upwards in understanding and amusement. There was a black SUV parked in front of the front doors, and I peeked around him to see someone in the driver's seat staring us down and talking into an earpiece. The Prince cast a rather annoyed look outside. I looked up at him.

"Do you need to…?"

The annoying expression vanished. "The jet won't leave without me." He nodded at the box in my hands. "Open it."

I bit my lip, suddenly nervous all over again. I knew I was going to like whatever was inside, but he was staring at me a little anxiously. I slipped off the ribbon and opened the box, finding a blue velvet box inside. I sent the Prince a raised eyebrow before opening the box and…

Oh…oh my goodness…I…I think I stopped breathing.

Inside was a pair of simple drop down pearl earrings. The pearls (beautiful and perfect and white and I could go on) attached to the hook through a thin piece of silver, the only embellishment being a where the silver cupped the pearl at the top. They were simple enough to wear with jeans or fancy enough to wear with a dress. They're…this is…

I'm tearing up, dang it. I can feel them coming and I'm blinking and blinking. Finally, they're not about to spill out of my eyes and I look up. I'm still kind of in shock, so it barely registers that the man in front of me looks vaguely uncomfortable. Is he nervous, too?

"Sasuke they're…" I look down at them again, barely believing they're mine now. "They're beautiful." I give him a beaming smile, hoping it conveys just how touched I am. "Thank you." I can't help myself. I throw myself at him and hug him around the middle. "They're…" And I'm tearing up again because I'm so _touched_ that I can't help it. I knew how busy he was, if his schedule was anything like Naruto's, and the thought that he'd taken time out of his schedule to think about getting me something made me feel so very special. _Me_…a girl he hadn't even seen since September, and had only met a handful of times before that. And not only did he get me something…_pearls_. No one had ever gotten me pearls before. "Thank you." I said again, finally letting him go.

He wasn't smiling, but his face was a little softer than usual and—dare I say it?—_relieved. _I suddenly wish I'd gotten him something nicer, but then I don't think anything I could get him would compare to these simple little perfect pearls that left me speechless.

"Your Royal Highness?" A man in a suit wearing sunglasses walked over to us. A bodyguard, then. "We should probably make our way to the airport now."

Sasuke nodded, the soft look from earlier replaced by complete professionalism. "I'll be out in a moment." His bodyguard nodded and returned to the SUV parked outside. It was only when we were alone again that those dark eyes turned back to me.

"I hope you're not getting into trouble on my account." I said. His bodyguard really looked like he'd wanted Sasuke to answer _Sure, let's go right now. Post haste. _

He shook his head. "We're fine on time." He shrugged. "It's just the beach, it's not going anywhere."

"Do you…not like the beach?"

He shrugged. "It's not really that great. We go at least once a year…it gets old after twenty years of the same."

"Oh…" I fiddled with the box in my hands, looking at it thoughtfully even though it was shut. "I've…I've actually never seen the ocean." In person anyway. The Internet searches always made it look so majestic and exciting, so very blue and wonderful. And the Konoha shores were some of the nicest because of their proximity to Water Country's coral reefs. Tayuya, my college roommate, had gone to Rice Field's northern shore, but the pictures she brought back had the water looking kind of black and cold.

Sasuke stiffened in front of me. "Never?"

I shook my head. I grew up on a farm and that meant we could never really leave long enough to get a vacation. Also, money to afford one was kind of a problem too. I erased those thoughts out of my head and smiled at him. "Never. So go and have fun for me ok?" He blinked at me for a moment before nodding. "And I hope you have a very Merry Christmas."

One corner of his mouth twitched upwards. "Merry Christmas, Sakura." He turned to leave, but he looked back once when he got to the doors. The prince paused, and I was sure he was about to say something, but he just nodded and continued on towards the SUV. I only hit the button for the elevator when he was out of sight, and I pranced down the hallway and into my apartment, feeling giddy.

Naruto's ramen bowl arrived today in the mail, so I turned on some Christmas music and wrapped it, singing loudly. The bowl came in its own box, and I wrapped it separately from the ramen cookbook and then tied them both together with ribbon. I was still giddy by the time I finished, so the resulting bow on top of the set was extravagantly large.

He couldn't meet until two days later, because he had picked up some extra work to make up for Sasuke's absence. This, he assured me loudly, would make Sasuke owe him in spades once he got back from the coast. His last day at work was on Wednesday, so I turned up at his apartment around lunchtime on Thursday with his gift in my hands, beaming. We sat on the couch and he opened mine first because I wouldn't leave him alone until he did. Thankfully, he loved his new ramen bowl and cookbook. (It was rather fancy if I do say so myself).

I picked up his gift for me and set it in my lap. Before I could rip the paper he put a hand over mine, effectively stopping me. "Before you open it, I just want to tell you that it's not that fancy. I tried to get you something you would like…but then I'm so used to buying Sasuke things he needs and I figured, hey, you might be the same way. If you don't like it I'll get you another one, a better one."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "You're babbling." I said, and then watched as he snapped his mouth shut suddenly. "You only babble when you're nervous." His cheeks flushed a little and he removed his hand from mine. His fingers drummed on his pants and he looked at me, then at the box, then at me. "Naruto, calm down." I said, ripping the paper. "I'm sure I'll like…" And then I looked down, and my mouth dropped open involuntarily and I _froze_ in my chair. "Oh my…"

"I can explain!" He said quickly.

"You got me a phone!" I exclaimed, half excited and half horrified. True, my current phone was a piece of _shit_ and Naruto knew that. I had gotten it for convenience purposes and had gone for a cheap, passable one that had taken to dropping every other call within the last few months. I _was_ excited that wouldn't happen to me again, but these things _weren't cheap_. I had only spent twenty dollars per person on my gifts and this was not a twenty-dollars-per-person kind of gift. This was a gift where Naruto had purposefully run permanent marker across the price tag, because he probably thought I would make him return it if I knew how much he'd really spent on me.

He started babbling again. "I know it's not fancy or anything. I mean, it doesn't have 4G but you can still get the Internet through Wi-Fi but, and it _is _nicer than yours right now,. It even takes pictures, and there's a warranty on it so if it starts giving you problems—"

I couldn't help myself, I tackled him in a hug, sending both of us off the couch and into the floor. "You are a beautiful, beautiful man." I told him smiling. I planted a kiss on his cheek and he started blushing again. My other thought came to mind and I looked him directly in the eyes. "Please tell me you did not spend too much on this."

He actually rolled his eyes. "I didn't spend too much on it." The blond told me mechanically, like he was just repeating what I said.

I glared at him. "_Naruto_." I warned.

"I'm serious! It's an older model so it didn't actually cost that much." He pouted. "Spoil-sport."

I suddenly felt bad, sitting up on the floor. He sat up and braced his weight on his hands. "Sorry…" I said. "I'm just…I'm not…" I struggled to find the words, because _I'm poor and I can't afford nice things_ just wouldn't roll off my tongue.

"I know, Sakura." He said, and then he gingerly took the box from me and opened it. "Hand me your old phone." I did, and he changed the SIM card to my brand spanking new phone. It really was nice, and a lot of thought had obviously gone into it.

"Thank you." I told him sincerely. Azure eyes glanced up at me for a moment, and he smiled. All was forgiven. He gave me back the phone—which was such a pristine and sleek white that would pair amazingly with my new earrings—and I got to watch it boot up for the first time. I must have been hormonal as of late, because I felt myself tearing up again. "I'm going to cry." I said, and sniffled for good measure.

He stiffened. "Uh…"

How was it that I had managed to find such good people? People that cared for me and that thought about me like this. Friends who would do these kinds of things for me without expecting anything in return. Was I lucky? I looked upwards at Naruto, who still looked a little panicked, thinking I was going to burst into tears at any moment. _Yes, _I thought. _I'm so lucky to have met you, Naruto_.

I grinned at him, and then tackled him into another hug.

After I got over my excitement—well, some of it anyway—we went to eat at Ichiraku. I made lunch last as long as possible, because I wouldn't get to see him again until after New Year's. But unfortunately it had to end sometime, and he was driving to the Hokage's Mansion for Christmas all too soon. The next few days passed slowly in anticipation of the holiday, but it came right on time, and suddenly I was opening my eyes on Christmas morning.

There was always something magical about Christmas morning. Before last year, it had been so long since I'd celebrated the holiday with anyone, and I had forgotten how it felt to wake up too early and everything seem new and wonderful again. Ino and Hinata had gone home to be with their families, so it was just Tenten and me this year. I opened my eyes at sunrise and couldn't even think about going back to sleep, so I got up and made both of us a feast. I missed this…sharing holidays and the like. And as nice as it was to have so many friends now, I do wish that I could spend more holidays with them. I needed to call Naruto later to wish him a Merry Christmas. Since there was no way for me to get in contact with Sasuke, I mentally sent him my Christmas wishes and hope he got them ok.

Hinata and Ino would be here at about noon to exchange presents, but after breakfast Tenten and I went ahead. Tenten loved her new jewelry that I had gotten her, and she had given me a few blouses.

It was still early, so I decided to go meet Juugo before the girls got here. I excitedly put on one of the blouses Tenten had gotten me, which was a chocolate brown and went fabulously with my hair, if I do say so myself. My jewelry was green and red for the holiday, and my boots were only a shade lighter than my shirt. I grabbed Juugo's present and my jacket on the way out the door, calling to Tenten that I would be back in a few hours.

My walk to the hospital was a bit chilly, but I could barely feel it because I was so excited to get to see my friends today. I didn't have to worry about ice or snow on my journey, because a city this far south almost never got snow. I would miss the white Christmases in Melody, but that might be the only thing I'll miss from Rice Fields. It didn't take me long to get to the hospital, and once I was there I was jittery in anticipation of getting to 580. The guards let me in without question.

He was in his usual spot on the couch, but I found the words to greet him wouldn't come out. He sat sideways with the window open, his hands stuck through the bars and on one of his fingers was a tiny little blue bird. I could only blink, because I had been trying that for years and hadn't ever managed it.

"That's incredible." I said softly trying not to startle the bird. But once I started to edge closer, my proximity caused the bird to fly off. "Sorry." I apologized. "I didn't mean to scare it."

Juugo looked at me. "It's fine." He said with a smile. "I'm glad you're here."

I grinned back. "Me too. Merry Christmas!" And I handed him his gift. "This is for you."

"Thank you." But then suddenly he looked a little forlorn. "I'm sorry I couldn't get you anything."

I shook my head. "You're my friend, that's more than enough." And I meant it, because being able to talk to someone as freely as I was able to talk to Juugo meant so much to me. I was so very proud to have him as a friend, and I genuinely enjoyed our talks and our time together. "Open it!" I said excitedly.

He opened the wrapping at the seams, without ripping the paper at all. He carefully took out the books inside, of which there were five and arranged in all sorts of subjects. I made sure to get them on his favorites, like the complete works of a poet he liked and even a journal of essays on the philosophical subject he was most interested in. My favorite out of the lot was a rather large book of fairytales from around the world, which was something that I had read quite a bit of before I'd been able to put it down to wrap it.

My good mood stalled when he looked up and his eyes were filled with tears. "Thank you very much Sakura. This means…" He wiped away a tear. "It means a lot that you're here."

I smiled. "Of course I'm here. We're friends and it's Christmas."

"What about your other friends?"

I waved a hand. "My roommates spent the night with their families, but they'll be back later so we can exchange gifts."

"And the boys you talk about?"

I faltered a bit. "They're…away. I won't get to see them today." I wasn't at all surprised at the disappointment that bloomed in my chest at that. I missed them, I really did. I looked at the ginger haired man sitting on the adjacent couch. As much as I wanted to spend the day with Naruto and even Sasuke (though that was still a pipe dream even if he'd stayed in Konoha) the man in front of me needed me more. Aside from Tsunade and myself, Juugo received maybe five visitors a year at the maximum, and even those were psychiatrists and specialists. He didn't talk about his family either. He'd only let one thing slip about his parents, and that was when he'd told me that something horrible had happened to them. It was after that he'd started to cry, and I knew not to press the subject.

So I was glad to be here today, for a man without family or friends. I still remember the first Christmas on my own and how painful it was without my father and how I'd spent the day in tears. A friend I'd had at the time—I wonder how she's doing now?—invited me over for Christmas dinner and I'd stayed there for hours. It didn't help, not really anyway, because I'd had to sit there and listen to her family laugh and be together. The one thing it did do was give me something else to concentrate on, noise to drown out the silence. And for those few hours anyway, I'd felt like everything would be okay when I got home. I would get home from a friend's house and walk through my front door and there he'd be at the stove, burning our dinner, giving me a sheepish smile and a "Welcome home, baby girl."

Even if all I was to Juugo was noise to drown out the silence, I knew what kind of importance that carried.

"I'm glad I'm here with you." I told him, so he didn't feel like I'd rather be anywhere else. I considered him a friend, and seeing him today meant as much as seeing my roommates or Naruto or Sasuke. I _am_ glad that I'm here. I gave the room a once over. "You should have Tsunade put up a Christmas tree for you."

He shrugged. "I don't need decorations to make me happy." Juugo said. "In fact I kind of like the consistency of it. It's stable…where so many things in my life are not."

Agree to disagree, I guess. I couldn't imagine not doing something special for the holiday, even if it was something as simple as decorating. The tree at my apartment had taken a solid three hours to decorate, and then we'd had to bribe Kiba with food to come and hang the star on top, since he was the only one tall enough to reach it. Also, I'd tried not celebrating holidays because I thought old memories of my parents and me celebrating them would make the pain of loneliness ebb a little, but I found that it just made me feel empty…made me turn my back on times when I had been happy. I still cherished the memories of the three of us under the tree my father had cut down, and I couldn't ever turn my back on those.

"It's too bad you can't go outside." I told him, hugging my coat tighter around me since he still had the window open. "It's so peaceful outside."

The large man was suddenly downcast. "I…can go outside as long as I am escorted, but I think I'd rather be here."

I think my jaw dropped at that. "Juugo…do you _like _it in here?" I must have misheard him, because no way anyone would choose this life. Why would he, if he had the rest of the world to explore?

He looked at me with sad, red-orange eyes. "It is…preferable to many places I could go."

I faltered at that. "Juugo…I…if you can leave…" I always thought they were keeping him here for some reason, but they're not? He has the choice to come and go whenever he pleases but _doesn't_? That hardly makes sense. "Come with me." I offered. "Just for Christmas. Just to get out of here for a little—" I stopped talking when he leaned forward and took both of my hands in his, gently. He looks so calm. How can he look so calm when he's keeping himself trapped?

"Sakura," He began, and I could feel his hands trembling a bit. "I wish I could, but I can't go with you."

"You just said you were free to leave." I said. "If you need Tsunade's permission I'll call her right now."

"I can't leave here." Juugo said, looking downward. "I have…done some things, things that I am trying to repent for," he looked at me again, seriously. "Things that I am scared I will do again. I won't leave here because I don't want to put myself in a situation where I might…" He dwindled off at the end. I hadn't ever found out what Juugo was punishing himself for, because he refuses to talk about it. Every time I think he's about to tell me he stops, as if to save me from hearing some immeasurable horror.

I gripped his hands tightly. "Juugo," I began. "You don't know if you don't try. If it happens, it happens, but you shouldn't keep punishing yourself for the _what ifs_."

He shook his head. "I am sorry," The ginger haired man leaned back, releasing my hands. "But it will. I know it will. It is…painful…when it happens, because I try to fight it but I'm not strong enough, I'm just so helpless and it hurts."

"There are treatments, Juugo." I told him. This was starting to sound like a more serious mental issue than PTSD. "We can get you help. You don't have to stay in this prison if you don't want to be here."

He smiled sadly. "I have been to several different hospitals in several different countries." He leaned back on the sofa. "It's been ten years. If they haven't found a cure by now, they probably won't in my lifetime." I opened my mouth to argue, because I knew that wasn't true. They'd found a cure for my mother's disease three years after she died. And yes, it had been too late, but at least no child ever had to watch that disease consume their parent from the inside out. That experience isn't something I'd wish on my worst enemy. I wanted to tell Juugo not to give up hope, because it was possible and he was currently residing at the best hospital in the world, but started talking again before I could butt in.

Juugo looked out the window. "And you misunderstand, Sakura. I do like it here." A bird hopped up on the windowsill just outside the bars and began eating the birdseed Juugo had set out. "Prisons come in all sorts of forms, for all kinds of different people. This isn't a prison to me." He stuck a hand through the bars slowly and didn't have to wait long before the bird hopped on his finger. "It's the paranoia that's my prison. When I was outside it felt like I was dragging around a ball on a chain. I never know when it's going to happen, or whom it's going to affect. Being in here and not having to worry about that is like a weight has been taken off my shoulders." He smiled at me. "This isn't prison, Sakura. I can do whatever I want in here without fear. I feel like I'm finally free after ten years of waiting."

I bit my lip, having a hard time wrapping my head around that. It was hard to see his point when all I could imagine was how restricted I would be. At that thought, I paused. Before coming to Konoha I'd been stuck—stuck in Melody, stuck in Rice Fields—and my greatest fantasy was how I could escape and be free. So I guess he's right. Rice Fields was my prison, and I was finally free of it. I wake up every morning grateful for the opportunity that I'm here. Does Juugo feel like that? He was right. He's absolutely right. Prison isn't about shackles and bars at all.

"Forgive me for troubling you." Juugo told me sincerely. "I'm sure you have better things to do on this holiday."

I shook my head. "I told you that I wanted to be here with you." I gave him a little smile. "And I should just listen to you more, because you obviously know what you're talking about."

"This life has given me a great deal of time to be introspective." He said. "Which is why I know that you have better places to be."

"I like talking to you."

He nodded. "I know, but it is Christmas and you deserve to be surrounded by friends and food and chaos."

That did sound wonderful, but…I frowned. "Are you sure? I don't mind staying longer."

He shot me an amused look. "Leave." He ordered. "So that I may begin these books you've given me."

I grinned and mock-saluted. "Yes, sir." I stood, but instead of turning to leave I made a quick decision and went over to the couch to hug him. I hadn't ever hugged him before, and I figure it's far past due. "Merry Christmas, Juugo."

I didn't miss the way he stiffened, but he hugged me back and relaxed. "You smell like apples."

I giggled. "That would be my shampoo. Do you like it?"

"It's very…relaxing." He said. "Have a Merry Christmas, Sakura." I told him goodbye and then turned to leave. I paused again when he called out my name. "I _do _enjoy talking with you, and I just wanted to say…thank you…for being my friend." He was tearing up. "I'm very happy that you come and talk to me."

I'm tearing up. "I'm glad." I told him. "Anytime you need me, I'll be there."

"That means a lot." He said. I wished him goodbye again, and made the journey home with a lot on my mind. I was happy, because it was good to know Juugo liked my companionship as much as I liked his.

I walked into my apartment to see my roommates laughing on the couch with what smelled like cider. They looked at me as I walked in. "Merry Christmas Forehead! Where have you been, we've been waiting for you to open presents."

I smiled back. "I went to see a friend at the hospital."

"Well grab yourself some cider and let's get going!" The blonde exclaimed. "I'm dying to know what you all got me."

I looked at the still steaming pot on the stove and inhaled deeply. Yum. "My favorite!" I said, recognizing the bit of cinnamon that Hinata had thrown in last year that had been so wonderful.

Hinata smiled from her curled up position on the couch. "I know."

They talked while I ladled myself a mug. I was just walking past my purse when I heard the chirp from inside it, barely recognizing it as coming from my phone until I remembered I had a new phone now. I sifted through the contents of my purse before coming across the phone and flipping it open. It was from Naruto, and it read: _Merry Christmas Sakura-chan! I miss you already!_

I grinned and texted him back: _Merry Christmas! Miss you lots!_

"Come on Sakura!" Tenten was the one to complain this time.

"Coming, coming." I said, sending the message and going to sit on the couch with my friends, drinking my favorite cider and listening to everyone debate who should go first.

_I'm home_.

**.**

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**Author's Notes: **Merry Christmas to all of you! I really wanted to showcase how far Sakura's friendships have come in this chapter. Also, the next chapter will include the appearance of a new (and very important) character. As always, please review and let me know what you think!


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